The 2020 Japan Currents Houston Conference was held on Friday, February 28, at the Petroleum Club of Houston.
Presentations from distinguished guests and industry leaders provided an in-depth look at energy's impact on U.S.-Japan relations.
In Texas, communities, families, businesses, and schools are benefiting from record-breaking oil and gas activity, and Japan has played a large role in this surge as an important energy consumer/importer.
According to Dr. Koyama, Japan has the lowest energy self-sufficiency ranking of any advanced economy at about 9%. This reality has made Japan the world’s 5th largest energy consumer, 3rd largest oil consumer and #1 LNG consumer.
To address Japan’s energy challenges, companies such as Osaka Gas and Sumitomo Corporation are striving to achieve greater diversification of energy resources and increased flexibility of energy supply.
Osaka Gas, through investment in and offtake from Freeport LNG, has contributed to the establishment of one of Japan’s largest LNG supply sources in the U.S. Commercial operation of Freeport LNG Train-1, along with the start of a 20-year LNG tolling agreement, began in December 2019, positioning the company for robust, stable and economical gas procurement with US gas prices linked.
Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) is integrated with US oil and gas production through a unique value chain that derives from a group of enterprises and functions that serve the entire energy industry supply chain - upstream, midstream and down-stream. Notably, Houston-based SCOA affiliate Pacific Summit Energy has established a dominant presence in the energy trading space.
Investments by Japanese corporations in Texas are undoubtedly contributing to the betterment of society.
A special note of congratulations to our friends at Sumitomo Corporation on their 100th anniversary
EMCEE
Laird DORAN
President, Japan-America Society of Houston
Vice President, Government Relations and Senior Counsel, The Friedkin Group
PRESENTATIONS
Ken KOYAMA, Ph.D.*
Managing Director, Chief Economist, Strategy Research Unit, The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ)
Global Energy Security/Sustainability and The Role of US and Japan
[download here]
Seijiro TAMADA*
SVP, Freeport Project, Houston Office, Osaka Gas USA Corporation
Osaka Gas Involvement with Freeport LNG Project
[download here]
Hiroyuki “Bob” TAKAI*
SVP & General Manager, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, Washington D.C. (SCOA)
Introduction of Sumitomo Corporation
[download here]
*view bios here
SPONSORS
This conference, made possible with support from The Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. and the National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS), provides the Houston-Harris County community with the opportunity to explore impact of U.S-Japan energy partnerships on our area.
OFFICIAL AIRLINE
