Qatar has indicated that a portion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations could be back online within weeks following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, although the broader impact of what it describes as extensive damage from Iranian strikes is expected to constrain national output capacity for years to come.
Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, said on Sunday that repairs to a damaged gas-to-liquids (GTL) unit are slated for completion by the first quarter of 2027, while restoration work on two affected LNG trains could extend up to three years. The statements were made during a session at the Qatar Economic Forum.
The Gulf state, which before the conflict stood as one of the world’s top three LNG exporters alongside the United States and Australia, suspended production earlier this year after near-blockaded shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and a direct attack on Ras Laffan, the planet’s largest LNG export hub. That assault knocked out roughly 17% of the site’s capacity, leaving some contractual deliveries in limbo.
In late August, state-owned QatarEnergy extended force majeure declarations against certain buyers through early November, a move that underscored the severity of the disruption. Al-Kaabi defended the company’s track record, stating, “Historically, we have been a reliable producer and supplier, with no cargo defaults ever recorded. But this situation was entirely beyond our control.”
Despite the supply shock, Qatar has no plans to construct new pipelines that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Al-Kaabi explained that such a project would necessitate piping gas to a receiving terminal for liquefaction, effectively duplicating infrastructure already earmarked for the North Field expansion program.
Meanwhile, Qatar is pressing ahead with ambitions to expand its role as a global LNG trader. With the start-up of the Golden Pass export facility in the United States, a growing share of its trading volumes will bypass Gulf waters entirely. “In the near future, we will undoubtedly become the world’s largest LNG trader,” al-Kaabi said. “We are continuously strengthening our position, pushing steadily toward that objective.”
Qatar’s immediate priority remains restoring output from existing facilities, even as it navigates the longer-term implications of reduced capacity and shifting trade routes.
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