The Global Gas Historical Network

A Boost to the History of Gas 

By Jens Utoft and Hanne Thomsen, Gas Historical Network 

”Good idea. Relevant. Interesting. Go for it. I hope you’ll get success!”

These were some of the many positive comments, received from visitors at the gas historical exhibition in the Ruby Lounge at the World Gas Conference 2006 in the RAI Convention Centre Amsterdam in June.

Thanks to the Dutch organizers of WGC2006, who sponsored the exhibition facilities, it was possible for our group of volunteers to organize the exhibition, intending to promote the idea of gathering people who find it important to preserve the heritage of the gas industry worldwide.

In recent years, a big number of gas companies have merged with other companies or other industries, and quite a lot of them have increasingly focused on commercial activities and profits, often to the detriment of non-profit activities, such as preserving outdated equipment and records.

Even though there are differences from one company and one country to another, gas historyis almost the same everywhere. Consequently the possibility of getting cross-border inspiration about how to preserve and present the history of gas is relevant and important.

The initiative to create a virtual network for gas history was born at the Danish Gas Museum three years ago and has been supported with contributions from many gas-professionals around the world, including individuals as well as organizations like the British Gas Museum in Leicester, the Energitica Museum in Amsterdam, the French organization Copagaz/Afegaz and Russian Gazprom.

Fine collections of gas appliances from the Danish Gas Museum, Energitica and Copagaz werepresented in showcases at the exhibition in Amsterdam, together with 13 posters, presenting different aspects of the history of gas.

Most of this material can be found on this website, which will be developed with short presentations and links to gas museums and collections around the world. Together with electronic newsletters, the website will be the foundation of the future development of the network.

The Argentine organizers invited the Gas Historical Network to be present at the World Gas Conference in 2009, and a more comprehensive exhibition is planned for that occasion.

WGC2006 gave a boost to the historical network by adding more than 50 new contacts and givingmany ideas about museums and collections to be contacted in the near future.

Summing up: A lot of fuel and energy was added to the future work to be done to develop an international network of people, interested in and working with the history of gas. So indeed we are more than satisfied with the outcome of our first public presentation, but further suggestions and new network-members are most welcome.

Please join us at www.gashistory.org. 

Three showcases and some of the 13 posters, presented at WGC06 in Amsterdam.
(Photos: Jens Utoft)