Natural Gas Sales and Marketing in a Competitive Environment

Course Summary
Competitive pressures increase the need to market effectively. This is particularly true in liberal gas markets. This five-day course charts the shift from a monopolycontrolled market to the liberalised and highly competitive model. The role of alternative fuels in this change will also be reviewed. Using the Bolonia© case study, the course analyses the key gas market sectors, considering the viewpoint of the producer, transmission company, gas marketer and consumer in a recently privatised gas supply system. The course also provides an insight into strategies for setting gas prices, in both regulated and liberal gas markets, against a background of competing fuels. Also included is a review of the introduction of new technologies for gas utilisation, its economic impact and how it can be used to expand the market for natural gas.
What you will learn
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Structure and nature of gas markets

Inter-fuel competition and effect on pricing of gas in long and short-term sales contracts

Price competition between gas, oil and coal-based products

How to analyse competitive fuel positions from an economical and technical standpoint

Impact of gas-to-gas and inter-fuel competition on the marketing of gas

Market changes during privatisation, liberalisation and increasing competition

Impact on transmission, distribution companies and suppliers

Change in infrastructure

Supplier perspectives

Technical developments in gas utilisation and their economic impact
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The Structure and Nature of Gas Markets

• Characteristics of market sectors for gas
  
• Premium and non-premium markets
  

Inter Fuel Competition and Pricing of Gas

• Price competition between gas, oil and coal-based products
  
• Competition for gas in industrial applications
  
• Competition for gas in commercial applications
  
• Analysis of competitive fuel positions from economic and technical standpoint
  
• Tariff and contract price structures
  
• Influences of taxation and legislation
  

Impact of Gas-To-Gas and Inter Fuel Competition on the Marketing of Gas

• Impact of 'liberalisation' and increased competition on gas marketing methods and pricing
  
• Impact on production companies, transmission companies, distribution companies and suppliers
  
• Gas market sectors and their attractiveness to ne- and existing gas suppliers deleted
  
• Growth and impact of short-term and spot gas markets
  
• Changes in infrastructure required to facilitate competition
  
• Various supplier perspectives of the competitive gas market
  

Technical Developments in Gas Utilisation and their Economic Impact

• Industrial applications
  
• Commercial applications
  
• Domestic applications
  

Case Study: Gas Sales and Marketing Plan for Bolonia
1. Sources of Gas Supply

• Field/pipeline operators
  
• LNG imports
  
• Storage
  
• Long and short term purchases
  

2. Gas Transportation and Delivery

• Structure of supply regulation
  
• Availability of transportation and its role in increasing competition
  
• Security of supply for the customer
  

3. Strategic Planning of a Gas Sales Programme for Bolonia

• Competitor analysis and targeting potential gas clients
  
• Ho- to use the customer's purchasing power
  

4. Presentation of Marketing Plan for Bolonia

• Analysis and assessment of the markets, technology and economics
  
• Presentation of marketing plan to the Board of Directors
  

Site Visits

• Visits will be made to potential and existing gas customers, if circumstances permit