The LNGnet Project has been launched in Spring 2021 by the European Commission to enhance the liquidity, flexibility, transparency and sustainability of the global LNG market. The Project aims at deepening the engagement of partner countries in liquid and flexible global LNG trade, and to increase their understanding of EU gas and LNG market policies and practices, including on the envisaged decarbonisation of the gas sector in line with the EU’s climate objectives.

Within the LNGnet Project, Training Courses are offered, dealing with: Gas market design, structure and regulation; LNG market structure, organisation and arrangements; Decarbonisation, gases and LNG.

Courses are free of charge and reserved for energy experts from Ministries, Government Agencies and other public bodies in charge of energy, energy companies and their associations, major energy consumers, academia. Participants are selected from candidates based on their background and position, with a view to ensure a fair representation of countries, organisations and genders. Travel and accommodation may be covered for selected participants from eligible countries.

Day 1: Policy, regulatory and market framework

• Gas market and network regulatory models in the world
• The evolving role of natural gas in a decarbonising world and in the European Green Deal. Sector Coupling and Energy System Integration
• Issues in the development of the Hydrogen industry
• Case Study: the LNG industry in Argentina
• Networking event

Day 2: The international LNG market

• Facts and figures on the recent evolution of gas and LNG markets
• LNG pricing criteria and their evolution
• LNG trading arrangements: Contracts, platforms, services
• LNG regasification and its regulation: an EU case study

Day 3: LNG, new gases and decarbonisation

• Generating and transporting renewable and decarbonised gases (power-to gas, pyrolysis, carbon capture and storage): potential and role in the energy transition
• The costs of greening the gas industry. Shipping LNG vs. Hydrogen
• Methane emissions in the LNG supply chain: state of the art and policy issues (Maria Olczak, JNKE2)
• Group work: Participants discuss, outline and present selected regulatory issues of gas market development in their countries.

Day 4: Study visit of an LNG regasification terminal

• Identify natural gas market functioning in the world and their regulation
• Describe the global LNG market and its key contractual and pricing arrangements
• Recognise key issues of natural gas and LNG greenhouse gas emissions and their containment
• Analyse how the gas industry can become more sustainable and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
• Discuss the market development of new gases and their regulation
• Evaluate the practical application of LNG through in-depth case studies from both regional and European contexts, complimented by a study visit to an LNG regasification facility.

At the end of the course, participants will receive a Certificate of Participation.

The LNGnet Project will cover the travel costs (economy class) and a per diem covering accommodation and local costs, for up to 25 participants, selected among those meeting at least one of the following criteria:

1. Representing a public body, international organisation, university or other not-for-profit institution dedicated to scientific, energy-related research and/or publication;
2. Place of the registered office of the organisation they represent, or domicile, is a country or territory that is in 2022 and 2023 eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA) according to the relevant OECD definition, published at ODA Recipients for reporting 2022 and 2023. For this Training Course, the following countries are eligible: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Suriname.

For sponsored participants who need a visa to enter Argentina, the project can reimburse the visa costs, subject to the provision of supporting documents.