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Copenhagen Industry Day looks to the future

Innovation in general and the growing importance of carbon capture & storage (CCS) in particular were the themes of IOGP’s Industry Day in Denmark’s capital. There, some 60 representatives of IOGP member organisations and other industry leaders gathered to discuss and debate the ideas raised by two distinguished panels.

IOGP EU Affairs Director François-Régis Mouton opened the event, concentrating on the importance of our industry to Europe’s continuing prosperity. He went on to moderate the first panel, which began with remarks by Mike Borrell, Total’s Senior Vice President Continental Europe and Central Asia (and a member of IOGP’s Management Committee (MC), as Industry Day host. He spoke about the need to strike a balance between oil and gas and renewables in a lower carbon emissions future. He also spoke of IOGP’s essential role in that future.

Other panellists were:

  • Monika Hausenblas, Shell’s Executive Vice President Safety & Environment (and a former IOGP MC Chair) who spoke of her company’s aim to become a world leader in the power sector
  • Philippe Ducom, ExxonMobil’s President, Europe, who addressed his company’s strategy and outlook for the future, with particular emphasis on Europe, the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) and the role of IOGP.
  • Martin Næsby, Oil Gas Denmark’s Executive Director, who concentrated on national issues including energy transitions, the impact of North Sea mergers and IOGP’s role vis-à-vis national oil industry associations.

A second panel, chaired by IOGP Global Engagement Manager Olaf Martins, looked at carbon capture & storage (CCS) within the context of innovation. Panellists were:

  • Guloren Turan, the Global CCS Institute’s General Manager Advocacy & Communications, who explained her organisation’s vision for CCS globally and within Europe, outlined technical challenges and stressed the need for gaining public acceptance of CCS.
  • Paula Coussy, IFPEN’s CO2 Project Manager, tackled the issue of storage in both Europe and the US and also provided an overview of a study on hydrogen power production for Europe.
  • Tim Bertels, Project Director for CCUS Porthos in the Port of Rotterdam, gave an overview of the project, including its importance for Europe and the handling of public acceptance issues.
  • Søren Juel Hansen, Energinet’s Head of Development, provided insights on the importance of electricity-gas sector coupling, the feasibility of repurposing gas infrastructure for hydrogen and CO2 transport and the challenges and costs of an emission-free gas future.

Continuing the theme of innovation, the Industry Day concluded with a visit to the Danish Hydrocarbon Research & Technology Centre.

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