"Research project to identify the necessary conditions for competitive EU gas markets, the potential barriers to their development and ways in which the UK government could influence the political, regulatory and market outcomes in order to maximise the benefits of competitive gas markets to UK consumers."--DTI website (Reports & Publications).

This highly unique book focuses on market design issues common to most EU gas markets, particularly in the context of closer integration. It explores in detail the characteristics and requirements of national gas markets in Europe, which are constructed as virtual hubs based on entry/exit schemes as a requirement of European law. The expert contributors analyse gas supply and demand patterns in the EU, showing that both have changed following the introduction of liquefied natural gas on the supply side and the growth of gas-fired power plants on the demand side. The repeated interactions between the transmission operators activity and the gas commodity markets are addressed, as is the design of commercial networks in EU markets. The contributors also question whether the relationship between commercial and physical networks, in terms of the new flexibility requirements of users, actually works. By way of conclusion, two proposals for the EU gas target model are presented, both of which tackle the fundamental issues raised in this book, as well as the organization of short-term transactions and the mechanisms for investment in vital new long-life infrastructure needed to integrate EU markets. This volume will be of great interest to practitioners, as well as academics, researchers and students in the fields of energy economics and industrial economics. Both European and non-European energy companies and regulatory authorities looking for an independent and analytical overview of European gas markets will also find this book to be a highly valuable resource.

"Research project to identify the necessary conditions for competitive EU gas markets, the potential barriers to their development and ways in which the UK government could influence the political, regulatory and market outcomes in order to maximise the benefits of competitive gas markets to UK consumers."--DTI website (Reports & Publications).

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book examines how China can increase the share of natural gas in its energy system. China’s energy strategy has global ramifications and impact, and central to this strategy is the country’s transition from coal to gas. The book presents the culmination of a two-year collaboration between the Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC) and Shell. With the Chinese government’s strategic aim to increase the share of gas in the energy mix from 5.8% in 2014 to 10% and 15% in 2020 and 2030 respectively, the book outlines how China can achieve its gas targets. Providing both quantifiable metrics and policy measures for the transition, it is a much needed addition to the literature on Chinese energy policy. The research and the resulting recommendations of this study have fed directly into the Chinese government’s 13th Five-Year Plan, and provide unique insights into the Chinese government and policy-making. Due to its global impact, the book is a valuable resource for policy makers in both China and the rest of the world.

Since its launch in 2001, Gas Trading Manual (GTM) has established itself as the leading information source on the international gas market. Compiled from the contributions of some of the most senior and widely respected figures in the trade, this edition provides detailed and accurate analysis on all aspects of this complex business from the geography of gas through to the markets, trading instruments, contracts, gas pricing, accounting and taxation. This edition further enhances its reputation as the indispensable practical companion for all those involved in the trading of gas.

Because the EU depends on a very small number of external suppliers for its natural gas, energy security issues inevitably arise. In theory, competition law should regulate and adjudicate such issues. Yet, because contracts between EU companies and producers are highly sensitive and politically charged, the application of EU competition law to natural gas contracts is far from clear. This important book, drawing on ECJ case law, Commission administrative cases and inquiries, and the full range of relevant legal and economic theory, provides an extremely valuable and detailed study of how EU competition law can be applied to long-term natural gas capacity reservation and commodity contracts. Issues and topics such as the following arise in the course of the analysis: Third Gas Market Directive provisions; Article 102 TFEU cases on strategic under-investment; pre-liberation or "legacy" gas contracts (e.g., with Algeria and Russia); "right of first refusal"; take-or-pay requirement; third-party access; ownership unbundling; effect of elimination of priority access regimes; short-term trading; spot markets; and law and economics of vertical restraints. Focusing on the foreclosing effect of long-term upstream commodity contracts, the author recommends restrictions on the use of capacity reservation contracts, and analyses the efficacy of security of supply as a competition law defence in cases relating to such contracts.

A major change has taken place in the company structure of the European electricity and gas markets. Since the liberalization of EU energy markets began in the 1990s, companies like E.ON, GDF Suez, EDF, Enel, and RWE have become European giants with activities in a large number of member states. The advocates of market liberalization did not expect, or intend, the emergence of a small number of large utilities that control an increasing part of the EU market. Some observers claim that liberalization has led to an oligopoly with detrimental consequences for competition. Based on extensive background research, this book presents a fact-based analysis of the changes in the European utility sector since the 1990s. Case studies of the seven largest utilities illustrate how companies adapted their strategies to the changing market environment. The author underlines diverging choices and common trends with the aim of using synergies between electricity and gas.

A critical overview of European Union energy law and policy, this book takes a law-in-context approach as it examines the development of EU energy law from the 1950s to the present day. It discusses the development of EU energy law; the application of general EU law into energy; the regulation of EU energy markets; international aspects of EU energy law; and policy, sustainability, and energy regulation. Presenting an up-to-date overview of EU energy law and policy and a critical analysis of its sub-areas, the book extends the discussion from electricity and natural gas markets to other areas of energy, including oil. This holistic approach to the subject is then placed within the broader context of the international geopolitical sphere which EU energy law and policy operates, as the author considers the impact of regional and international energy policies and markets on the EU markets and the overall EU policy. He also draws on the wider context and takes into account non-legal factors such as the impact of unconventionals, the rise of the BRICS, and the 'Arab spring'. The book frames EU energy law as a topic that can provoke intellectual, political, and professional discussion about the slowly moving train of economic regulation under the typical pressures and contradictions of countries and the European Union in the global economy.

The world is currently undergoing an historic energy transition, driven by increasingly stringent decarbonisation policies and rapid advances in low-carbon technologies. The large-scale shift to low-carbon energy is disrupting the global energy system, impacting whole economies, and changing the political dynamics within and between countries. This open access book, written by leading energy scholars, examines the economic and geopolitical implications of the global energy transition, from both regional and thematic perspectives. The first part of the book addresses the geopolitical implications in the world’s main energy-producing and energy-consuming regions, while the second presents in-depth case studies on selected issues, ranging from the geopolitics of renewable energy, to the mineral foundations of the global energy transformation, to governance issues in connection with the changing global energy order. Given its scope, the book will appeal to researchers in energy, climate change and international relations, as well as to professionals working in the energy industry.

A volume on the pricing of gas in international trade. Gas accounts for around 25% of global energy demand and international gas trade is growing rapidly. The book covers the development of international gas pricing in all regions of the world where gas is traded, and considers whether gas could become a global market.