The “US Model” of natural gas markets is based on long-term, point-to-point commercial capacity rights that reflect the physical capacity of the pipeline and are traded frequently among system users (shippers) in markets independent of the transmission system operator (TSO). When physical capacity is complex and scarce and the gas market is dynamic these rights must be continually reallocated and reconfigured, making trading difficult/illiquid and market outcomes suboptimal. read more →