ANALYSIS – IEA gas producers likely to shun "gas OPEC"

LONDON (Reuters) – Cartel opponents Australia, Canada and the Netherlands are unlikely to join an OPEC-like gas group, despite Russian claims that they might.

Russian officials heading the GECF, whose 11 members control nearly three-quarters of the world’s proven gas reserves, said last Tuesday the GECF could become a price-influencing group like OPEC.

It said the Netherlands was in talks to participate, and that Canada and Australia could get involved later.

The prospect of the Netherlands, the biggest gas producer in the European Union, or Canada — the biggest supplier to the United States — colluding with the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) would startle consumers already concerned about prices and uncertain supply.

But all three countries are long-standing proponents of free markets and opponents of supply controlling groups like Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries, so Russian claims they could join a group hoping to supporting fuel prices through collaboration seem hollow.

Reuters