Exploration worldwide is finding massive unconventional natural gas resources; new technologies are being identified that can convert those resources into reserves. If these efforts prove to be as successful as early reports indicate, the world can benefit from rapid economic development, environmental stewardship, and energy security. Our industry faces an unparalleled opportunity to join with efficiency, renewables, and other clean-fuel advances to provide economic, environmental, and energy leadership globally. This panel focuses on global natural gas opportunities in Israel, Europe, China, and India.

Natural gas success in North America has triggered a gas rush around the world. The extent of this new prize nationally and internationally is far from known. We do know that the prize is enormous, widely distributed, and unique to each location. The transfer of capital, knowledge, and technology from the shale homesteaders of the U.S. to the shale frontiers of the world, and variable progress toward large-scale production, will result in an ever-dynamic energy scenario. This game-changing transformation of the energy business has the potential to dramatically benefit the world in terms of energy security, prices, and sustainability. This panel examines efforts to quantify the size of the prize as well as the social and political issues that need to be addressed in order to develop it.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TBA

OPENING REMARKS: Tisha Conoly Schuller, President, COGA

MODERATOR: Mike Ming, President, Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA)

PANEL OF SPEAKERS: Chris Flavin, President, Worldwatch Institute; Steve Holditch, Phd., Department Head and Noble Endowed Chair, Texas A&M University; Vello A. Kuuskraa, President,, Advanced Resources International, Inc.  Additional panelists to be announced.

The tremendous increase in gas reserves and the opportunities it presents are evoking more yawns than the overwhelming applause they deserve. They have not yet captured sufficient attention from the public and policy makers to maximize the near-term use of natural gas as our most economical and cleanest fuel. The natural gas industry must heighten public and policymaker awareness; this is a singular global energy opportunity without parallel or precedent. This panel brainstorms approaches for maximizing the effective use of our natural gas reserves, including political, communication, and social efforts.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TBA

MODERATOR: Tisha Conoly Schuller, President, COGA

INVITED SPEAKERS: Regina Hopper, President & CEO, America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA); Melanie Kenderdine,  Executive Director, MIT Energy Initiative; Greg Staple, CEO, American Clean Skies Foundation. 

The keynote luncheon will also include the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission’s Annual Environmental Awards and the BLM Best Practices Awards.

Leaders across the United States are recognizing the importance of using domestic, clean-burning natural gas for electricity generation. At the same time, renewable development continues to expand. Abundant, domestic natural gas reserves require increased access to electricity generation markets to reach their potential of reducing air emissions and backing up renewable energy. An unbeatable combination, natural gas and renewables must work together with energy efficiency improvements to provide utility-scale, long-term energy solutions. This panel addresses ways in which natural gas and renewable energy leaders can work together, both operationally and politically, to ensure a secure, reliable, low-emissions energy future. This collaboration is not happening spontaneously. Outdated laws and regulations and historic misunderstandings must be identified and overcome so that the fuels of the future can move forward effectively together.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TBA

OPENING REMARKS & MODERATOR: Tisha Conoly Schuller, President, COGA

PANEL OF SPEAKERS: Patricia Nelson Limerick, Ph.D., Professor of History at the University of Colorado at Boulder and Co-Founder, Faculty Director and Chair of the Board of the Center of the American West; Scott Moore, Vice President Gas Marketing, Anadarko Energy Services Company; Heidi VanGenderen, Senior Policy Advisor, Worldwatch Institute. 
Additional panelists to be announced.

SUPER SESSION CHAIR: David Posner, President, EnVent Energy LLC

With the emergence of new supplies from other areas, the Rocky Mountain region faces increased competition to supply market needs.  New pipelines delivering supplies from Midcontinent shale plays to the Gulf to Northeast pipeline corridor are coming on line, and along with Northeastern shale production, have challenged the Rockies entry into Eastern US markets.  New Rockies export capacity to the West is scheduled to go into service in 2010 and 2011, further enhancing Rockies access to this market.  No longer suffering from export pipeline capacity limitations, the Rocky Mountain region is well piped with unique access through newer, highly efficient pipelines to both Eastern and Western markets.  How will these changes impact gas flows, market dynamics and future infrastructure development?  Growing the market in the Rocky Mountain region and throughout the US continues to be essential.  Through innovative new policy initiatives, the Rockies are leading the way in demonstrating that natural gas can play a critical role in providing a cleaner energy future in combination with renewable sources and energy efficiency.  These sessions will examine how Rockies gas will be delivered to diverse markets across the US.

OVERVIEW PRESENTATION: Porter Bennett, President and CEO, Bentek Energy LLC

MODERATOR: A. Scott Moore, Vice President Gas Marketing, Anadarko Energy Services Company

PANELISTS: Craig Coombs, Director of Business Development, Western Pipeline Group, El Paso Corporation; John T. Dushinske, Vice President Customer Service and Business Development, Kern River Gas Transmission Company; John Eagleton, Vice President, Business Development, Western Division Pipelines, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners; Larry Larsen, Manager Marketing Services, Williams Northwest Pipeline; Todd Johnson, Marketing Manager, US Pipelines West, TransCanada; Shelley A. Wright, General Manager, Marketing and Business Development, Questar Pipeline Company.

Panel Discussion:  The Colorado Clean Air - Clean Jobs Act and Its National Implications

The passage of this important legislation in Colorado demonstrates how government, environmental groups, utilities and the natural gas industry can work together to advance cost effective approaches for cleaner energy production.  This panel will include key leaders who forged this coalition who will discuss how the legislation was formed, and its benefits for the environment and the Colorado economy.  The panel will also explore how the approach pioneered here in Colorado could serve as a model for making similar environmental improvements in other parts of the US through greater reliance on natural gas in the electric power generation market,

MODERATOR: David Posner, President, EnVent Energy LLC

PANELISTS: Jim Martin, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources; Vickie Patton, Deputy General Counsel, Climate and Air Program, Environmental Defense Fund (invited); David Eves, President and CEO, Public Service Company of Colorado; Don McClure, Vice President of Government and Stakeholder Relations and Legal, Encana Oil and Gas (USA), Tom Price, Senior Vice President Corporate and Government Relations, Chesapeake Energy Corporation