When oil majors meet electric utility companies on the golden crossroad of GAS

초록

This paper addresses the current issue of expansion of global gas power generation. Social cognition of danger of nuclear power generation and high cost of renewables are driving energy policy makers seek another promising alternative. Increased reserve of natural gas due to unconventional types of gas (shale gas, coal based methane, and etc.) can be considered to mediate the energy transition paradigm from ‘fossil’ to ‘renewables’. US, Japan, and numerous advanced countries are increasing the ratio of gas power among national energy mix. Oil majors, who have a lot of gas reserve, are potential players in gas power generation market. Actually, BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and other oil majors are preparing to join in or acting in gas power generation market. They are compete and collaborate with global electric utility companies such as E.ON, ENEL, EDF, GDF-Suez, TEPCO and so forth. These trends of co-opetition between the two groups will be enhanced in the future.