The objective of the strategic partnership is to develop the Netherlands’ position in becoming the gas hub of Northwest Europe by addressing the threat of a growing shortage of qualified personnel in the natural gas industry. TAQA and EDI will develop and exchange knowledge and expertise in the challenges associated with the natural gas industry. TAQA will also receive access to staff development and join a growing platform of other EDI partners and international knowledge institutes.

Jan Willem van Hoogstraten, TAQA’s Managing Director for the Netherlands, said: "TAQA is committed to develop the Netherlands into the Northwest European gas hub and has chosen the country as its global centre of excellence for natural gas storage and transmission developments and operations. TAQA’s Bergermeer Gas Storage is a concrete example of TAQA’ commitment to this endeavour. In addition to creating more than 2,600 man-years of employment in the Netherlands, the amount of storage capacity will cement the Netherlands’ role as the gas hub for Northwest Europe." Eric Dam, President of EDI, said: "Partnering with a global energy company such as TAQA will allow us to significantly expand our knowledge network both geographically and into new increasingly important areas of the natural gas industry such as underground storage and transmission. TAQA will without any doubt considerably contribute to EDI’s effort to develop the Netherlands’ natural gas industry knowledge and provide state-of-the-art training for the current and future energy manager." TAQA’s long-term investments in the Netherlands’ strategic energy infrastructure are already a major contributor to the development of the country’s ambition in becoming the Northwest European gas hub. TAQA’s Bergermeer Gas Storage will almost double the Netherlands’ existing underground natural gas storage capacity providing security of supply and the flexibility required for a properly functioning gas market. The Bergermeer Gas Storage project will, as part of the gas hub, provide a long-term stimulus for the Dutch economy. The construction of Bergermeer Gas Storage will create 3,300 man-years of new work of which 2,650 will be in the Netherlands. The Dutch gas hub will generate EUR 21 Billion of additional economic activity up to 2020 and more than 13,000 additional jobs.

EDI, headquartered in Groningen, the Netherlands, is an internationally renowned knowledge institute, with a primary focus on natural gas. EDI coordinates research and organises training courses focusing on the economic, legal, geopolitical and management aspects of the gas value chain. This involves collaborating with various academic and business partners, such as Clingendael International Energy Programme, Delft University of Technology, TNO, Gubkin State University for Oil and Gas, MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations), Yale, Stanford, Oxford and L’Institut Francais du Petrol.

Other EDI partners include: Gasunie, GasTerra, EBN, Gazprom, Shell, RWE, Dong and University of Groningen.

We accept Guest Posts