What You Will Learn:

• How the natural gas industry has been transformed since the Enron meltdown and how commercial transactions have changed.
• How to identify, coordinate and implement the essential elements of both wholesale and retail natural gas transactions.  
• The terminology, concepts and mechanics of physical natural gas trading, wholesale market centers, and pool-to-pool virtual title transfers.
• The details of gas transportation, pooling, nominations, confirmations, scheduling, receipt and delivery point priorities and balancing through the delivery chain.
• What PDAs, OBAs, OFOs, etc., allocations, penalties, interruptions and curtailments are, and why they are important.
• Specific issues that need to be addressed when buying, selling, transporting or otherwise serving retail end-use industrial, commercial and residential customers.
• Natural gas pricing concepts and mechanisms and the essentials of locational basis, commodity pricing and a brief overview of the different types of price hedging tools.
• The major types of transaction risks, the fundamentals of price risk management and risk assessment in commercial operations.
• The changing dynamics of capacity markets with new pipeline, storage and LNG projects and the impacts on overall gas transactions, including commodity pricing, basis differentials and pipeline capacity.
• The detailed steps and procedures for “Best Practice” approaches to gas commodity and transportation capacity evaluation, procurement, and management.
• “Front, Middle and Back Office” marketing company roles, responsibilities and duties.
• How marketers put together and process deals through each step in the “Front, Middle and Back Offices”.
• How to assess requirements over different planning horizons and conditions and use "Load Profiling" to optimize energy procurement and cost options.
• The essentials of preparing and responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and how to buy and manage energy on an ongoing basis.
• How to assess and compare energy services providers and the commodities and services they offer and to get what you want with effective negotiation tactics.
• How to evaluate energy marketers, determine their credibility, strength and weaknesses and validity of offers and competitive position.
• Additional practical transactional and operational knowledge.

Seminar Agenda:

Morning:      

Markets and Trading Infrastructures

I. Market Participants and Market Value Chains (2.0 hours)

• Overview of Current Gas Market Issues
• How Market Participants Interact Along Value Chain
• Key Participant Segments - Suppliers through End-users
• Understanding the Natural Gas Marketing Business
• Marketing Operations - How Marketers Process Deals
• Wholesale Gas Trading and E-commerce Exchanges
• Physical Market Hubs, Electronic Exchanges and Market Centers

II. Gas Transportation and Pipeline Capacity (2.0 hours)

• Transportation, Delivery Services and Transactions
• Pros and Cons of Different Types of Transportation Services
• Assessing Transportation Options and Services
• Understanding Different Transportation Service Agreements
• Transportation Commercial Operations Basics
• Pipeline and LDC Pools, Penalties, Risks and Rewards
• Understanding, Nominations, Confirmations and Scheduling
• Capacity, Locational Basis and Transportation Pricing
• LNG Impacts on Pipeline Access and Locational Basis

Afternoon:   

Pricing, Risk and Commercial Operations

III. Pricing and Managing Risk (2.0 hours)

• Understanding Market Pricing and Drivers
• Gas Price Volatility and Near-term Price Outlook
• Value-added Pricing and Value Chain Price Element
• Risk Management Basics and Risk Assessment
• Overview of NYMEX Gas Commodity Pricing, and Hedging Tools
• How LDCs Mitigate Gas Price Volatility

IV. Retail Marketing and Gas Procurement (2.0 hours)

• Assessing the Demand Forecasting Function
• Developing and Understanding Load Requirements
• Assessing Suppliers and Supply Options
• Request-for Proposal Elements and Processes
• Evaluating Proposals and Deals
• Critical Negotiating Issues and Tactics
• Contracts, Responsibilities and Accountability

Your Instructor:

Greg Peters has over 20 years of energy industry consulting and management experience and is an expert in energy products and services marketing, and supply planning, procurement and energy management. Mr. Peters' consulting experience includes several years as Manager of Price Waterhouse's National Public Utilities Consulting Services and currently as President, Envision Energy Solutions Company. Envision provides gas, electric and fuel management consulting services to a wide range of industrial, commercial and municipal end-users. Previously, Mr. Peters has had fuel procurement, fuel management and planning responsibilities for Columbia Energy Services Corporation, Equitable Gas Company, and The Peoples Natural Gas Company.

Who Should Attend this Seminar?

Professionals from natural gas and electric utilities, energy producers, pipelines, municipals, energy marketers, banks, government regulators and industrial companies; energy and electric power executives; new hires; attorneys; government regulators; traders & trading support staff; marketing, sales, purchasing & risk management personnel; accountants & auditors; plant operators, engineers, corporate planners and anyone needing a strong foundation in the U. S. and Canadian natural gas business.

Prerequisites

It is recommended that participants have a good understanding of the concepts and issues addressed in the fundamental PGS seminar, “Understanding Today's Natural Gas & LNG Industry”.

Why Choose PGS?

PGS seminars are known for their clear explanations and in-depth content. Register for a PGS program today, and team up with the leader in electric power and energy education. Join over 5,000 energy and financial professionals who have already attended one or more of PGS's proven courses. View Past Seminar Attendees

Hotel & Seminar Information

This one-day seminar will be held at the hotels listed below or can be conducted on-site at your facilities. The seminar will start promptly at 8:00 AM and will finish at 4:00 PM on the first day. The program includes continental breakfast, lunch, and coffee/cookie breaks for each day. Attendees also receive a professionally produced seminar manual that can serve as a valuable office reference. Dress is casual for all seminars.

Doubletree Houston by the Galleria
5353 Westheimer Road
Houston, Texas 77056-5474
Telephone 1-713-961-9000
View Hotel Website

PGS Energy Training has secured a limited number of Doubletree hotel rooms at a special discounted rate. Please dial 1-713-961-9000 and mention the PGS Energy Training event for your discounted rate. Please sign up early to receive your special room rate. This Doubletree frequently sells out.

Crowne Plaza Philadelphia City Center
1800 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone 1-215-561-7500
View Hotel Website

PGS Energy Training has secured a limited number of Crowne Plaza hotel rooms at a special discounted rate. Please dial 1-215-561-7500 and mention the PGS Energy Training event for your discounted rate. Please sign up early to receive your special room rate. This hotel frequently sells out.

Registration Fee & Discounts

Register Now and invest in your future. The price for this one-day seminar is $895 (USD).

• Additional attendees and government employees receive a 10% discount.
   
• Sign up for 4 or more classroom seats during the same month and all attendees will receive a 20% total discount. ( If you plan to register 4 or more classroom seats, but want attendees to pay by separate credit cards, register one party now and mention this fact in the "Comments" section of the registration form. We will manually subtract the 20% discount from the first registrant's seminar fee. Tell other parties in your group to mention your name when they register, and we will give them the 20% discount as well.) Please call 412-521-4737 for more information.
  

Payment & Cancellations

Payment is due prior to the start of the seminar by Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners Club, or corporate check. Seminar fees will be charged to your credit card at the time of registration unless other arrangements have been made. Please make checks payable to "PGS Energy Training" 43 Fawnvue Drive, Suite 700 • Mckees Rocks, PA 15136. Cancellations can be made up to three (3) business days prior to the start of the seminar for a full refund. No refunds will be made thereafter, but credit will be given toward future workshops. Substitutions may be made at any time. For more information on PGS policies regarding administrative matters and complaint resolution, please contact our offices at 412-521-4737.

CPE Credits

This group live seminar is eligible for 7.0 CPE credits. Be aware that state boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. As of January 1, 2002, sponsored learning activities are measured by program length, with one 50-minute period equal to one CPE credit. One-half CPE credit increments (equal to 25 minutes) are permitted after the first credit has been earned in a given learning activity. You may want to verify that the state board from which your participants will be receiving credit accept one-half credits.

PGS  Energy Training is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)  as a sponsor of continuing professional education  on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on  the acceptance of individual courses for CPE  credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors  may be addressed to the National Registry of  CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Web site: www.nasba.org. CPAs interested in attending any seminars  should contact our offices for details on CPE credits granted and any prerequisite requirements.