The 41st International Scientific and Professional Meeting of Gas Experts will take place from 6 to 8 May 2026 at the Congress Centre of the Grand Hotel Adriatic in Opatija. The event is organized by the Croatian Gas Association (CGA), a member of the International Gas Union (IGU), and the Gas Center Croatia Ltd.
This three-day international conference and exhibition, dedicated to natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, renewable gases, gas market issues, and new technologies, is one of the largest events of its kind in Southeast Europe. The upcoming event will bring together numerous gas and energy experts from more than 20 countries, with around 50 distinguished speakers already confirmed. Participation provides an excellent opportunity for business networking with leading figures from Croatia’s gas sector.
The attractive program of the conference will include nine interesting thematic units on the most current topics in the field of gas economy and energy transition, interactive panel discussions, round tables and a poster section.
The opening session will address global gas market trends and their impact on supply security in the era of energy transition. Topics will include the role of Plinacro in the European gas system, INA’s exploration and production projects and gas infrastructure development, PPD’s perspective on regional gas infrastructure and the strategic position of LNG terminals, as well as the role of natural gas in Croatia. This will be followed by a panel discussion with leading experts from major Croatian gas companies.
The thematic session “ Natural gas exploration and production projects, and development of gas infrastructure” will include presentations by experts from INA-Industrija nafte d.d., who will present the expansion of the onshore exploration portfolio in Croatia. Experts from Underground Gas Storage Ltd. will discuss changing consumption patterns and their impact on storage utilization. An expert from HEP Proizvodnja Ltd. will present opportunities for synergistic balancing between Croatia’s energy systems, while a Siemens Energy S.r.l. expert will present the modernization and upgrades upgrade of centrifugal and piston compressors.
In the session “Hydrogen, renewable gases and low-carbon gases – key complements to renewable energy sources,” INA-Industrija nafte d.d. experts will discuss the role of hydrogen in achieving EU renewable energy targets in transport and the current status of the renewable hydrogen production project at the Rijeka Refinery. Experts from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, will talk about hydrogen as an energy carrier for balancing a virtual microgrid based on variable renewable energy sources, while experts from Utonomy Ltd. will present the intelligent gas grid (IGG) project.
An important part of the event will be the session “ Future of LNG in Europe and technological advances in the liquefied natural gas sector.” Experts from LNG Croatia LLC will present the project to increase the capacity of the LNG terminal on the island of Krk. Experts from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, will explain how new LNG import capacities are changing supply security and market flexibility in Croatia. A representative from EffecTech Ltd. will present accredited calibration and new standards for direct LNG measurement technologies.
In the thematic section “Problems of gas supply”, an expert from the Algerian company SONATRACH will present an assessment of the relationship between gas and electricity prices using the NARDL method, and experts from INNIO Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG will discuss how gas power plants and heat pumps complement each other. The issues of supply and the operations of gas suppliers in complex market conditions will be discussed in a panel discussion.
In the session “Issues of gas transport, distribution and storage,” a Bureau Veritas Croatia expert will discuss repurposing existing pipelines for hydrogen transport. A SONATRACH expert will present a strategic geomechanical framework for unconventional gas development and safe CO₂ storage in Algeria. Experts from Gradska plinara Zagreb Ltd. will report on the behavior of low-pressure regulators after long-term operation. A panel discussion titled “New Methodology for Gas Distribution” will also be held.
The session “Smart technologies and digital transformation of the gas and energy sector, methane emission reduction, leak prevention and reporting” will include a presentation on the implementation of EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1787 in the Plinacro Ltd. gas transmission system. An Automa Srl expert will present solutions for methane emission quantification and reduction, while a Pico Flow Controls Ltd. expert will discuss the practical use of mobile compressor units for emission reduction.
Interesting presentations and a panel discussion will be held within the thematic unit “Sustainable transport systems based on natural gas, LNG, SPP and biogas”. The state of the vehicle fleet in the Republic of Croatia, testing and approval of gas-powered vehicles will be discussed, which will be discussed by an expert from the Croatian Vehicle Center Ltd. An expert from the company Plinara Ltd. Pula will speak about the retrospective of the construction of the SPP and LPG filling station in Pula. The issue of renewable compressed natural gas, an important factor in the decarbonization of transport as an equal partner in electromobility, will be presented by an expert from the company Brod-plina Ltd. A panel discussion will also be held as part of the thematic unit.
In the thematic section “Legal regulations, technical regulations, professional rules, regulatory issues and consumer rights”, attorney at Law Office Petra Šantić, will speak about the effects of the proposed amendments to the Public Procurement Act on public procurement procedures in the gas sector. The issues of gas distribution in the energy transition and investment sustainability, regulatory framework and affordability will be analyzed by an expert from the company Kulić & Sperk Ltd.
At the poster section “Problems of the gas economy and energy”, the authors will present their posters related to smart networking of gas, heat and water – the path towards integrated energy management, the importance of energy management systems in oil and gas exploration and production, geopolitics as drivers of change in the transformation of gas supply routes in the European Union, the potential and cost-effectiveness in the economics of hydrogen production and storage, and the technical and operational aspects of mixing H₂ with natural gas.
Numerous exhibitors from home and abroad will present advanced technical solutions for the gas industry and energy sector at the gas equipment and technology exhibition, which will be held in parallel with the conference.
Previously held international meetings of gas experts in Opatija have enabled business connections between a large number of gas and energy experts. Over the past decades, new partnerships have been created and deals have been concluded while enjoying pleasant gatherings in Opatija.
Sponsorship of the conference provides an ideal platform for positioning your company as a leader in the industry and ensures the highest brand visibility before, during and after the conference in front of key stakeholders in the gas, hydrogen and renewable gas markets, LNG and new technologies. Targeted thematic units and recognized speakers are the hallmarks of the conference, which brings together science, education, profession and business entities actively participating in the gas industry. A mobile application, available before the opening of the conference, and social events in Opatija will provide ample time for networking and realizing new business opportunities.
