11/06/2015
At the World Gas Conference (WGC) in Paris in the first week of June, a dedicated area was set aside for young industry professionals and students, called the Youth Event. A central feature of the event was two days of workshops to discuss key topics for the gas sector. At the end of the workshops, the teams with the best and most innovative ideas were given a chance to present to their experienced peers during the closing session of WGC Paris 2015. The competition's finalists tell us about their proposals.
The topic explored by the winner of the Youth Event contest was the use of gas as a transportation fuel, not just for boats and trucks, but also passenger cars someday. According to the judges, the team stood out for its practical approach to the topic, but most of all their boldness: who better to further their ambition than industry professionals? So they conducted a street poll in the WGC's aisles, putting the opinions together in a video.
"The selling points came to us very quickly and naturally. Which is just as well, since we hadn't really prepared before we came to the Youth Event," says the happy team. "By thinking about gas as a fuel, we realized how much difference it could make in the future. And maybe we'll find ourselves working on it in our careers, if CNG takes off. That would be pretty exciting!"
Here is a summary of their recommendations to boost the gas-as-transportation fuel, or CNG, industry:
- Investment: We need to get it going — and put enough money on the table!
- New incentives: Governments must offer tax incentives for users.
- New business model: It is vital to thoroughly understand local markets.
- Overcome the infrastructure problem: By stepping up cooperation among the sector's various stakeholders. Vehicles: Focus on the lease-to-buy and hybrid car markets.
- Act as spokespersons for gas: By educating the general public about its advantages.
- Take advantage of the current climate: It has never been more favorable to CNG!
Group members: Samia Adel, Nora Bouguerra, Hyacinthe Buisson, Aliona Duca, Carina Hoddo Steinbakk, Dimitri Le-Scel, Andrej Miljevic, François Picard
Have you ever heard of flaring? It's the term used to describe the burning the natural gas associated with production on oil platforms. Vital for safety reasons, flaring is sometimes criticized for the carbon emissions it generates and oil companies are trying to curtail its use. "We think it's a shame that gas continues to be flared on platforms, when nearby communities on the African coast suffer from a dire shortage of energy," says the team. "That's what gave us the idea for Afreegas: instead of being flared, the gas would be shipped as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the African people who need it. On the whole the concept is realistic and may be implemented soon."
Group members: Isabelle Nadia Fandresena, Christopher Hewson, Rihab Mannai, Claire Mizutani, Doriane Montpezat, Landon Stevens
What can inspire young people to join the gas industry and pursue a career in it? It's a hot topic for an industry struggling to recruit. "We tried to avoid tired clichés and reach out to very young people, even children, in words that actually speak to them," explains the team. "We wanted to show them that if they're interested in exploring the world, having experiences, taking care of people, working in many different countries and making a difference, they can do all that by pursuing a career in gas. Our goal was to spark interest." The end result was a fun, inspiring video, whose ability to relate to a very young audience won over the judges.
Group members: Matthieu Blanchard, Vincent de Longeaux, Amr Hemeda, Emma Labeyrie, Teresa Mor Pera, Dhanapat Nitisvarodom
What happens when a women tells her employer that she's pregnant? How will her manager — and Human Resources — react? Will her maternity leave sidetrack her career? At a time when the gas industry is looking to attract young talent, especially women, this group worked to allay the fears women employees have about announcing a pregnancy. "We wanted to take on prejudices and show that women may be pleasantly surprised by the reactions they get when they start to tell people they're expecting. For example, their manager may be someone who loves good news and will be excited to hear about the pregnancy. Rather than criticize certain behaviors, we wanted to remind people that the glass is often half full and that they should approach interpersonal relationships at work with a positive attitude." Their touch of humor on a potentially sensitive subject was very welcome.