Among other available energy resources, natural gas is a kind of energy resource, whose usage areas and goals are quite extensive, and which is becoming widespread quickly in our country. Parallel to the developments in the world, there is also a tendency toward the clean energy resources in our country. Natural gas has increased its strategic importance in respect of know-how, technical infrastructure and reserves as compared with other clean energy resources which are at the development stage.To secure supply-demand within natural gas chain, which is extending from resource to final user, to increase new technologies used and R&D investments, pricing policies resulting from international arguments and legal regulations focused on liberal market, which the countries form for their own, are very important.

We arranged the first INGAS in 2005; one of the premier and most broadly participated organizations of the fast improving natural gas industry worldwide, which was then followed by the second in 2007 and the third in 2009 with a solid success. INGAS symposiums have gathered the major institutions and persons of the industry from 20 different countries worldwide; constituting a platform, where information sharing took place at the top level. Up till today, participation was secured from countries such as Germany, United States of America, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, China, France, India, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Iran, Scotland and Canada.

İGDAŞ now aims to carry overseas its experience gained through the successful INGAS organizations held in Istanbul with the support of Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, thus will organize the "Balkan Countries Natural Gas Symposium" INGAS THE BALKANS 2010 in Skopje city, the capital of Macedonia. Besides Macedonia, senior executives of the institutions and organizations in the natural gas and energy industry and representatives of the private sector from the Balkan countries will participate at the symposium to take place on 8-9th October, 2010. We think that this organization will be an important platform of international size that opinions regarding the energy and natural gas strategies and investment opportunities in the Balkan countries, particularly Macedonia, will be presented.

We thank you for your kind interest in the INGAS symposiums we have held up-to-date and your distinguished contributions. We wish to be together again in the INGAS THE BALKANS symposium we shall organize in 8-9 October 2010 in Macedonia’s Skopje City and thanking you in advance for your distinguished contributions, kindly accept our best regards.

Bilal ASLAN
İGDAŞ General Manager