CIS Coal Summit

Adam Smith Conferences would like to express our gratitude to all the speakers, sponsors and delegates who participated in the 5th annual international CIS Coal Summit 2010.

We are sorry that not everyone was able to travel to attend the event due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland. At the same time, we are delighted that in spite of the major travel disruption, the summit was still well-attended and well-received by all those delegates that were able to make it.

For the first time in the history of the event the CIS Coal Summit was broadcast live on-line!

Just some of the SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS:

A number of key players in the CIS coal industry, along with renowned international experts participated in this key event and shared their expert views on coal industry development perspectives in both the CIS and global markets:

Yury Baron, Deputy Director of the State Policy and Energy Efficiency Department, Ministry of Energy of Russian Federation outlined the long-term policies of the Russian Government for the energy and coal sector, including implementation policy for the 2030 energy strategy.

Anna Belova, Deputy General Director, Strategy and Corporate Development Director at SUEK delivered a comprehensive outlook for global and Russian coal industry development. She advised that the “Go-East strategy” will continue to dominate Russian coal market trends and that the planned liberalization of coal prices will make coal more competitive with gas in the Russian market.

Brian Ricketts, Senior Officer at the INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY concluded that the global financial crisis has not changed the basic outlook for energy: China became a net importer for the first time in 2009 and by 2050 promises to show the biggest growth in history for both coal use and production. At the same time, low natural gas prices and the growth of renewables will keep demand weak for imported coal in Europe and the US. In the 450 Scenario, demand for fossil fuels peaks by 2020, and by 2030 zero-carbon fuels make up a third of the world's primary sources of energy demand.

Alexander Andreev, Deputy General Director for Strategic Planning at RASPADSKAYA COAL COMPANY highlighted the trends for cooperation between Russian coking coal suppliers and related industries. He also emphasised the growing competition between the key coal production regions of the CIS, Australia and North America, and the impact of new trade routes developing in emerging Asia. Recent news that coking coal concentrate has started to be traded at the St. Petersburg International Raw Material and Commodity Exchange suggested a shift in the coking coal market towards shorter contracts, and that exchange-trading would make pricing mechanisms more transparent.

Giorgio Ruscito, Managing Director at FUELMED and Alfred Rosales, Corporate Purchasing Director at ERAMET offered international buyers' perspectives providing a detailed insight into Mediterranean coal market dynamics and the role of Russian coal in this market. Participants also benefited from an overview of the opportunities and risks of using coal as a primary energy source within the existing framework of the European market through a major energy buyer's perspective.

Other top-rated presentations also included:

•Playing the Return of Commodity Pricing Power by Boris Krasnojeonov, Metals and Mining Analyst at RENAISSANCE CAPITAL

•Construction of new mines and development of Monotowns in Russia by Sergey Nikishichev, Mining Director at IMC Montan

•Seaborne imports as an important source of coking coal for the Ukrainian market by Konstantine Kokarev, Head of Coal Department, Coal and Coke Division, MetInvest  

•Methanol to gasoline (MTG) technology: an Alternative for Liquid Fuel Production by
Anna Gorshteyn, Russia and CIS Licensing Director, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering

Many other interesting and relevant topics generated discussions on further challenges to be resolved in the future to help ensure CIS coal market development. Some major issues to deal with still include: increasing railways tariffs; a lack of logistic support and limited port infrastructure; carbon constraints and the environmental impact of increasing coal production; the implementation of new technologies; and uncertainties regarding the impact of gas prices.

This year's delegates praised the CIS Coal Summit 2010 as a “timely, informative and effective” event which provided “competent analysis directly from the industry's key players”.

 We look forward to having the opportunity to welcome you to next year’s CIS Coal Summit 2011!