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Continental european gas hubs: are they fit for purpose ? / Patrick Heather. Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, June 2012, 75 p. (NG 63)http://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NG-63.pdfThis paper by Patrick Heather assesses the development of the European Continental Gas Trading Hubs. It is a natural successor to his 2010 paper ‘The Evolution and Functioning of the Traded Gas Market in Britain’.  Although the drivers and challenges for gas trading on the European Continent have been different from those of Britain, the desire for change at an EU policy level, the catalyst of the economic recession and the sea-change in the acceptance of trading have all contributed to an astonishing development in European gas hubs over the past few years. Based on extensive research and discussion with the key actors intimately involved, the paper provides deep insights into the characteristics of the individual hubs, the reasons behind their particular evolutionary path and their characterisation as ‘Trading Hubs’ (NBP and TTF), ‘Transit Hubs (ZEE and CEGH) and ‘Transition Hubs’ (GPL, NCG, PEGs and PSV); a framework which assists the reader in better understanding the current and future role of each. (© OIES)&#160;&#160;