A Practical Guide to Natural Gas Transactions, Scheduling & Information Flows

A Two-Day Classroom Seminar (CPE Approved)

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This comprehensive and clearly explained program is for professionals who are seeking an in-depth understanding of how today's North American natural gas industry does business. This course is designed for those who want to get a better understanding of terminologies used within the natural gas industry; trading shop setup, popular IT system platforms and information flow; and real life examples of counterparties transaction mechanics from origination through deal capture, scheduling and settlements.

You will also gain knowledge on transportation/delivery infrastructure and how deals are done. Get to know who the natural gas market participants are and how commercial transactions occur along each segment of the value chain. In addition, you will understand how regulations have impacted the industry and how players are navigating these regulatory waters.

You will be more confident and benefit from knowing comprehensive nuts-and-bolts fundamentals through to understanding physical transactions and strategies.

What You Will Learn

A Brief Overview of the Natural Gas Industry to make sure all seminar attendees understand basic terminology, units and industry structure, function and Players. Please see Section 10 below for more information of what this Industry Overview will cover.
Physical Transactions
Trading terminologies
Types of transactions (transport, storage, park and loan, spot, baseload, imbalances)
Physical gas trading is done at physical market centers and the critical roles that transportation management and storage play in determining gas delivery pricing.
Natural gas pricing concepts and mechanisms and the essentials of locational basis, commodity pricing and overview of the different types of price tools.
The essentials of factors impacting price volatility and commodity price components.
Example of transactions
Scheduling Natural Gas
Scheduling terminologies
Transport/Storage/Park and Loan
Production, Pipeline Maps
PDAs, OBAs, OFOs, etc., allocations, penalties, interruptions, and curtailments
Marketing Schedulers
The details of gas transportation, pooling, nominations, confirmations, scheduling, receipt and delivery point priorities and balancing through the delivery chain.
How to assess transportation services and options and understand the wide range of transportation services and arrangements.
Utilizing spreadsheets for effective scheduling
Communication with traders (operational issues; allocations; imbalances, etc)
Electronic Bulletin Boards and pipeline operational information
Segmentation and other ways of generating incremental revenue
Examples of transactions
Pipeline Schedulers
The keys parts of natural gas pipelines, how pipelines operate, who the pipeline players are and the significant issues pipeline face in a changing market.
The essentials of factors involved in bringing gas to market, transportation services and types, rates and rate components and pipeline tariff components.
Example of transaction
Volume Balancing and Settlements
Verifying Pipeline statements for volume and charges (systems and tariff)
Troubleshooting and common issues (rates, prices)
Example of transaction

What You Will Also Learn

Regulatory Environment for each segment of the natural gas industry- FERC, CFTC, SEC
Breaking down the areas of Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Regulations
New players (SD, MSP, End Users, SDRs, SEFs)
Recordkeeping obligations
Code of Conduct for SD
What is market manipulation
What is position limits
Change management for process and systems
Financial reform regulations' impact on trading
The Fast-Paced Overview of the Natural Gas Industry that will be provided at the beginning of this seminar will address the following topics to make sure all class participants understand basic terminology, units and industry structure, function and Who the Industry Players Are.
What natural gas is, how it is created, the different "types" of natural gas based on various factors and sources, measurements, and conversions.
The essential of understanding how gas is used, by whom and what are demand drivers and related issues.
Who regulates what, where, how and why and how FERC policy, major Orders and regulations have evolved into today's "open access" environment.
Significant FERC regulatory initiatives, policies and Orders that have transformed the industry and currently "hot" policy and regulatory issues that may significantly change how the industry operates and the information it collects and disseminates.
The different types of industry players (Producers, Marketers, Pipelines and LDC); their roles and responsibilities
Information flow and roles of each group (Legal, Contracts, Credit, Originators, Traders, Schedulers, Settlements, IT etc.). Process deals through each step in the "Front, Middle and Back Offices".
Market participants (dealer, brokers, shippers) and trading venues

Seminar Agenda

The Agenda for this seminar is identical to the above "What You Will Learn" bullet points.

Hotel and Seminar Information

This two-day seminar will be held at the hotels listed below or can be conducted on-site at your facilities. On the first day the seminar will start promptly at 8:30 AM and will finish at 4:30 PM. On the second day, the seminar will start promptly at 8:00am and will finish at 2:00 PM. The program includes continental breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks on the first day. On the second day a continental breakfast, snack and coffee breaks are included. Attendees also receive a professionally produced seminar manual that can serve as a valuable office reference. Dress is casual for all seminars.

COVID 19 Information: Please click here for the PGS Covid-19 policy. You can confirm each hotel's specific COVID 19 policy using the link(s) provided below.

Registration Fee and Discounts

The price for this comprehensive two-day seminar is $1,795 (USD).

Additional attendees and government employees receive a 10% discount.
Register 4 or more attendees and receive 20% Off. Special pricing is available for groups of 5 or more.
If you want attendees to pay with separate credit cards or have other questions, please call (440) 853-1038 for assistance.

Payments and Cancellations

Payment is due prior to the start of the seminar by Visa, Master Card, American Express, or corporate check. Seminar fees will be charged to your credit card at the time of registration unless other arrangements have been made. Please make checks payable to "PGS Energy Training" 26 Teal Lane • Hilton Head Island, SC 29926. Cancellations will result in a credit that is good for 2 years which can be transferred to a colleague. Substitutions may be made at any time. For more information on PGS policies regarding administrative matters and complaint resolution, please contact our offices at (440) 853-1038.

CPE Credits in Specialized Knowledge

This live group seminar is eligible for 12.0 CPE credits. Be aware that state boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. As of January 1, 2002, sponsored learning activities are measured by program length, with one 50-minute period equal to one CPE credit. One-half CPE credit increments (equal to 25 minutes) are permitted after the first credit has been earned in a given learning activity. You may want to verify that the state board from which your participants will be receiving credit accept one-half credits.

PGS Energy Training is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. CPAs interested in attending any seminars should contact our offices for details on CPE credits granted and any prerequisite requirements.

PGS Energy Training is registered with GARP as an Approved Provider of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits. If you are a Certified FRM or ERP, please record this activity in your Credit Tracker at http://www.garp.org/cpd. Please inform PGS Energy Training that you are a GARP CPE participant upon seminar registration.

The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) is a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to preparing professionals and organizations for making better-informed risk decisions. GARP's membership represents more than 150,000 risk management practitioners and researchers at academic institutions, banks, corporations, government agencies, and investment management firms in 195 countries and territories. GARP administers the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and Energy Risk Professional (ERP) Exams – certifications recognized by risk professionals worldwide. Visit www.garp.org/cpd.

Who Should Attend

Professionals from natural gas and electric utilities, energy producers, pipelines, municipals, energy marketers, banks, government regulators and industrial companies; energy and electric power executives; new hires; attorneys; government regulators; traders & trading support staff; IT vendors, energy consultants, marketing, sales, purchasing & risk management personnel; accountants & auditors; plant operators, engineers, corporate planners and anyone needing a strong foundation in the U. S. and Canadian natural gas business.

Prerequisites and Advance Preparation

There are no prerequisites for this seminar.

Why Choose PGS?

PGS seminars are known for their clear explanations and in-depth content. Register for a PGS class today, and join the over 10,000 energy professionals who have already attended one of PGS's proven programs.

Program Level & Delivery Method

Basic level. This fundamental course begins with basic material and then proceeds to the intermediate level. Delivery method is "Group-Live.”

IN-PERSON CLASSROOM SEMINARS