The final presentation of IENE’s latest study on the "Prospects for the Establishment of Regional Gas Trading Hubs” took place on November 15 at the headquarters of the Central European Gas Hub (CEGH) in Vienna, with the participation of representatives from the energy companies and organizations, which sponsored the study. The study was presented by the two-man study team, which included IENE’s Chairman and Executive Director Mr. Costis Stambolis and IENE’s Head of Research Mr. Dimitris Mezartasoglou.
At the special meeting, the IENE team highlighted the latest developments regarding the conditions and prospects for establishing regional gas trading hub(s) in SE Europe. More specifically, there is now a number of nascent gas trading hubs in the region, which include those in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia and Ukraine. According to the EFET’s Annual Scorecard 2019, Greece is the frontrunner in SE Europe in its attempt to establish a regional gas trading hub, which is known as Hellenic Trading Point (HTP). It is also worth noting that currently there is not a single proper gas trading hub east and south east of Vienna, whose CEGH could act as a pivot for organizing gas trading in this region.
This IENE study project was sponsored by a number of energy companies and organizations, which included the CEGH, Greece’s Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA), the Hellenic Energy Exchange (HEnEx) and Motor Oil Hellas, a major oil refining and marketing group.