The 40th Jubilee International Scientific and Expert Meeting of Gas Professionals will be held from 7-9 May 2025, at the Congress Centre of the Grand Hotel Adriatic in Opatija, organized by the Croatian Gas Association (CGA), a member of the International Gas Union (IGU), and the Croatian Gas Center Ltd.
The three-day international conference and exhibition dedicated to natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, biogas, and low-carbon solutions is one of the largest to take place in Southeast Europe. The upcoming event will bring together 600 gas and energy professionals from over 20 countries, with participation confirmed by around 50 esteemed speakers and about 40 exhibitors. The event provides opportunities for business networking with leading leaders in the gas sector from the Republic of Croatia and more than 20 countries.
The attractive conference program will encompass nine currently relevant thematic units on the most relevant topics in the field of gas economics and energy transition, along with interactive panel discussions, round tables, and a poster section.
The conference will begin with a discussion on the role of natural gas in the global energy transition, examining trends and pricing within gas markets, as well as the energy trilemma –balancing supply security, sustainability, and affordability. Following this, a panel discussion will take place with distinguished experts from leading Croatian gas companies, who will share their insights and address current questions.
A representative from the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency will present global trends in gas production and gas exploration activities in Croatia for 2024. Experts from INA-Industrija nafte d.d. will talk about new gas discoveries in the mainland area of Croatia. Experts from Underground Gas Storage Ltd. (Podzemno skladište plina d.o.o.) will hold a lecture on underground gas storage activities taking place in Croatia. In addition, experts from HEP Proizvodnja d.o.o. will present an applicable solution for medium-term planning of the engagement of thermal power plants and thermal power plants – heating plants of HEP Proizvodnja Ltd. “PlanPROEEB”.
In the theme titled “The Strategic Role of Hydrogen in the Decarbonization of the Energy Sector”, an expert from Plinacro d.o.o. will discuss the hydrogen paradigm as a key ecological aspect of the hydrogen transition taking place in Europe, and subsequently an expert from INA-Industrija nafte d.d. will address the geological elements of the white hydrogen system in southeastern Europe (Republic of Croatia). Experts from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Zagreb will speak about the impact of blending hydrogen and natural gas in the transportation system on the quality parameters of natural gas.
An important aspect of the upcoming meeting will be presentations covering the increasing trend of LNG usage in Europe. Experts from LNG Hrvatska d.o.o. will present topics on the joint LNG Terminal usage and the connection of the LNG Terminal to the electricity grid. A representative from the Austrian company TEADIT International Produktions will explain the approach to determining the characteristics of gaskets at low temperatures.
For the theme titled “Biogas and Synthetic Methane as Key Factors in the Development of Green Industry”, experts from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Zagreb will cover the issues of injecting biomethane into the gas system and the decarbonization of the gas sector in Croatia – including opportunities and challenges in achieving climate neutrality of energy systems. Experts from the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar will provide an overview of the possibilities for biomethane production in Croatia, while experts from GPZ d.o.o. will discuss how to determine the criteria and parameters for the technical and safe injection of biomethane into natural gas distribution systems. The Italian company AUTOMA S.R.L. will hold a round table discussion on the topic of GOLEM-ZERO: a Smart Regulator for dynamic biomethane Integration.
In the theme of “Issues Relating to the Transport, Distribution and Storage of Gas”, experts from Plinacro d.o.o. will talk about the application of the Zero Tolerance for Methane strategy as well as the energy management and energy efficiency system. Experts from Zagreb City Gasworks (Gradske plinare Zagreb d.o.o.) will speak about the hydrodynamic characteristics of a turbine gas flow meter, the behavior of low-pressure regulators at higher inlet pressures, and the state of the steel gas distribution system in terms of regular and emergency maintenance. Gas Tech from Inđija will hold a round table discussion on gas-air mixture as a substitute for natural gas. The company PICO FLOW CONTROLS d.o.o. will also conduct a round table discussion on the theme of the Virtual Gas Pipeline – Transport of SPP with MEGC.
The theme “Smart Technologies and Digital Transformation in the Modernization of the Gas and Energy Sector” will cover digital transformation solutions at Kuwait Ministry of Oil, including the monitoring and management of the gas transport system from NDC Plinacro and the use of a new multi-sensor smart gas meter, based on multi-channel connectivity and cyber security based in the gas distribution framework.
Interesting presentations and a panel discussion will be held under the theme of “The Use of CNG, LNG, and LPG and the Potential of fuels from Renewable Sources for the Decarbonization of Transport”. There will be discussions on the past forty years of the International Scientific & Expert Meeting of Gas Professionals, contributions to the development of gas applications in transport, a retrospective on the construction of the CNG filling station in Slavonski Brod, and compressed natural gas in transport. Experts from the Faculty of Maritime Studies and the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Rijeka will present an analysis of the efficiency and energy potential of waste heat from a 4-stroke marine engine. A representative from Jadrolinija will elaborate on the company’s strategy for environmental protection goals.
In the theme of “Legal Regulations, Technical Rules, Rules of the Profession and Consumer Rights in the Gas and Energy Sectors”, an expert from the Center for Forensic Examinations, Reserch and Expertise “Ivan Vučetić” will speak about gas meter forensic expertise for illegal gas consumption. The application of cathodic protection standards for the safety of gas systems, the financial analysis of the return on equity in the gas distribution sector in Croatia, and the obligations of the transmission system operator regarding public disclosure of data in accordance with EU Regulation 2024/1789 will also be addressed.
In the poster section titled “Issues surrounding the Gas and Energy Industry,” the authors will present their posters relating to relevant topics such as energy integration with renewable sources, the challenges of natural gas prices in Europe and North Africa, the development of technologies for the processing of natural gas and increasing energy efficiency.
Numerous exhibitors from the country and abroad will present advanced technical solutions for the gas industry and energy at the gas equipment and technology exhibition, which will be held concurrently with the conference.
Previous international meetings of gas professionals held in Opatija have helped a large number of gas and energy experts from over 30 countries establish business connections. Over the past decades, new partnerships have been formed, and deals have been made during pleasant gatherings in Opatija.
Sponsorship of the event provides an ideal platform for positioning your company as a leader in the industry, ensuring maximum brand visibility before, during, and after the event among key stakeholders in the value chain of gas, LNG, hydrogen, biogas, and low-carbon solutions. The targeted thematic units and renowned speakers are hallmarks of the event, linking science, education, the profession, and businesses actively participating in the gas sector. A mobile app, available before the event opens, and social events in Opatija, will help ensure ample time for networking and creating new business opportunities.
