FT/Shell Energy Pathways
 

FT/Shell Energy Pathways 

 Achieving a Sustainable Future in the Middle East and North Africa

 Sunday, 16 September 2012 | Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai 

Despite their wealth of hydrocarbon resources, the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are beginning to experience a shortfall of energy, and are struggling to fuel their expanding economies and rising power consumption.

In this time of social change, with governments under increasing pressure to solve their energy challenges and economic growth aspirations in a transparent way, what are the potential solutions to bridging the energy supply gap in MENA? What will the role of natural gas be in a developing energy mix that will potentially see a growing role for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels, such as nuclear energy or renewables?

Shell and the Financial Times will gather high-level decision-makers for a series of exclusive events across the region to discuss the future of energy in MENA, in particular the role of natural gas as a sustainable solution for enhancing energy security and contributing to the economic development of the region. Despite being rich in oil and holding more than 40% of the world’s proven natural gas reserves, a significant number of countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are facing an energy shortfall that is hitting economic competitiveness and putting governments under increasing pressure. This shortfall has been driven by a legacy of underinvestment in their natural gas reserves, coupled with an unprecedented economic expansion and high levels of energy intensity.

Bridging the energy supply gap will be vital to the region’s political, economic and social stability. What are the potential short, medium and long- term solutions? What is the potential for unconventional oil and gas in MENA, and what role could they play in the region’s energy mix? What is the optimum commercial, policy and regulatory environment needed to attract and ensure IOCs involvement in the development of these difficult resources? What are the barriers and solutions to reducing the energy intensity of the economies of the MENA region? What role could renewables and nuclear play in diversifying the energy mix and potentially lowering energy intensity? And what are the implications of the gas shortfall for MENA’s role as a global energy supplier?