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Leaders representing their governments and the international energy community will come together later this year to tackle key challenges and examine the role for gas in the future energy mix.

The Gastech 2012 Conference Programme will highlight the major issues that are defining what has been termed the 'Golden Age for Gas', with key technical and commercial sessions.

Led by the most influential business leaders and engineering experts from across the supply chain, the presentations will focus on a range of topics that impact the direction the industry is headed.

Japan, the world's largest consumer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), features prominently this year, with special papers examining the impacts that last year's tsunami had both commercially and technically on the Japanese gas industry. The Japan Gas Association fly to London to deliver a case study on the Sendai LNG terminal - damaged by the tsunami - plus Gastech will welcome papers reviewing the global impact Japan's decision to step down its nuclear programme will have on the supply and demand of gas. One highlight paper will be delivered by the Tokyo Gas Company, who will present their vision and predictions for the global gas market outlook in 2020.

Gastech also focuses on the impacts that low prices in North America are having on gas monetisation, and one key debate will be the role of LNG versus GTL (gas-to-liquids) as producers of gas seek new, more diverse revenue avenues other than their traditional power generation customers.

Commenting on the conference programme, Gavin Sutcliffe, head of content for Gastech said: "This year's programme reflects the incredible pace of change afoot in the global gas community as consumption of LNG continues to grow, Asia drives demand post-Fukushima, shale resources in China, Argentina and Eastern Europe are developed, and credit squeezes continue to impact infrastructure and project developments.

"As organisers of one of the world's most respected industry programmes, our role is to bring the global gas industry together to discuss and debate exactly how gas can move forwards and evolve in a world where the fuel choices between fossil, nuclear and renewables remain undecided by many international governments."

New for Gastech 2012 is the LNG for Transport technical session, which examines the evolving and important role that LNG can play as a fuel source for domestic transport and shipping. This session explores the opportunities and 'green' advantage when used to power ships and public transport.

"With this new session, we are taking the discussion beyond the issues of supply and demand, highlighting the benefits of LNG and its green credentials as a domestic and bunker fuel," continues Sutcliffe. "This is particularly relevant as nations look to clean up domestic emissions and reduce their carbon output."

The conference includes the following sessions:

Commercial sessions:

Market Outlook - 'where is the global gas industry headed?'

Natural Gas and LNG projects - 'the latest projects impacting gas infrastructure and investment'

Unconventional Gas - 'where new developments are leading the industry'

Gas Monetisation - 'diversifying natural gas usage across industries'

Technical sessions

Gas Shipping and Storage - 'latest developments in safety, training and best-practices'

Floating LNG - 'future developments for this exciting technological innovation'

Advances in Gas Technology - 'where new ideas are influencing the gas industry'

LNG for Transport - 'gas as shipping fuel, for bunkering, for domestic vehicles'

More information on the conference and exhibition can be found at http://www.gastech.co.uk