The 2023 St. Petersburg International Gas Forum (SPIGF) drew 20,000 attendees from 53 countries. Featuring 90 sessions spanning international cooperation, import substitution, safety standards, and talent development, the forum hosted 750 industry speakers. SPIGF 2023 occupied all halls of St. Petersburg’s Expoforum Convention Center, where 600+ enterprises exhibited gas industry innovations across 48,000 sq.m.

Global Engagement Amid Geopolitical Shifts
SPIGF 2023 demonstrated Russia’s enduring role as a global gas powerhouse, attracting heightened participation from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Arab states. Key attendees included:

● Alexey Miller, Chairman, Gazprom Management Committee
● Nikolay Shulginov, Minister of Energy, Russian Federation
● Xie Jun, Vice President, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC)
● Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, Minister of Energy, Uzbekistan

St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov highlighted the city’s gas legacy: "In 1812, St. Petersburg pioneered Russia’s gas infrastructure. Today, we host more gas enterprises than any Russian region."

Strategic Market Realignment
Minister Shulginov noted: "Declining European demand is offset by Asia’s growth." Critical developments:

● China-bound gas exports to exceed 30 billion cubic meters in 2023 (per CCPIT Russia Chief Representative Gao Qi).
● Russia-India LNG trade projected to reach $3.5 billion by 2030 (confirmed by Indian Consul General Kumar Gaurav).

Innovation & Partnerships
Forums addressed sustainability, digital transformation, and import substitution. The exhibition featured:

● Russian industrial breakthroughs in gas technology
● International pavilions from UAE, Iran, Turkey, Belarus, Italy, Slovenia
● 1,500 B2B meetings at the Business Matchmaking Center

Record-Breaking Impact
Sergey Voronkov, President of Russia’s Exhibition Union, stated:
"SPIGF 2023 shattered all historical records, cementing its status as the world’s premier gas industry gathering."