QatarEnergy Acknowledges Gas-Delivery Issues

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Written by Daniel Graeber for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

The kingdom said it would be three years before LNG infrastructure damaged during the Middle East conflict could be repaired. Qatar, alongside Australia and the United States, is among the largest LNG suppliers in the world.

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Status Dependent on Persian Gulf Traffic

QatarEnergy says it will take years to repair its liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, and it can't use pipelines as an alternative means of delivery, adding to regional supply-side challenges.

Industrial Info Resources has monitored energy-related developments stemming from the conflict in the Middle East since joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes took out top Iranian leadership in February. By March, Industrial Info Resources was reporting that drone damage to the Ras Laffan North and Ras Laffan South facilities in Qatar led to a US$26 billion repair bill.

Industrial Info Resources offers more information on these facilities in its Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Plant Database, where readers can find details in plant profiles of Ras Laffan North and Ras Laffan South.

On Monday, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, the Qatari energy minister and head of QatarEnergy, said repairs could take as long as three years.

"As for resuming operations, Qatar is ready to resume normal operations within a few weeks of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

There appears to be no end in sight to a conflict raging since late February. By September, the Houthi rebel group, which draws on support from Iran, entered the conflict in earnest by targeting shipping lanes and launching attacks on Saudi infrastructure from neighboring Yemen.

Saudi Arabia had exhibited diversity by showcasing its East-West crude oil pipeline that can avoid the Strait of Hormuz, though that was targeted by the Houthis last week. For Qatar, it doesn't have a midstream alternative.

"The problem is that LNG, our main export commodity, cannot be transported by pipelines," the Qatari minister said.

Diversity from U.S. Assets

Qatar, however, does enjoy diversity through its joint venture efforts. It holds a stake in the Golden Pass terminal for LNG exports in Louisiana, which is still in the commissioning phase.

IIR Energy in its NATGAS Today report for Monday found feed gas for Golden Pass increased from an average of 0.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) last week to 0.56 billion cubic feet. Once completed, it could take in as much as 1.7 Bcf/d in feedstock, compared to Sabine Pass, the largest U.S. terminal by volume with a capacity of 4.5 Bcf/d.

The Qatari minister added the first train, or liquefaction unit, at Golden Pass is already making customer deliveries.

"We expect next year to have both the second and third trains in full operation," he said.

In the US market, however, feed gas levels are on the decline. Industrial Info put levels at 17.29 billion cubic feet for Monday, well below the late-2025 record of just over 19 billion cubic feet

. Much of the issue is stemming from annual maintenance at the Cove Point facility, which sidelined 0.85 Bcf/d from the market, Industrial Info Resources data show.

The U.S. federal government is expecting operational terminals to send out 17.4 Bcf/d of gas in the liquid form this year, a 15% improvement over 2025 levels should the forecast prove accurate. By 2027, that will jump to 18.6 Bcf/d, according to federal data from August.

Total marketed natural gas production, however, is only expected to increase by 4.3% next year to reach 127.8 Bcf/d. U.S. LNG commitments are taking on about 15% of total U.S. natural gas production.

By the Numbers

• 3 years before Qatari LNG infrastructure is repaired
• $26 billion estimated bill for those repairs

Key Takeaways

• Regional producers are increasingly locked in by conflict
• Qatar has other options by way of a joint venture in U.S. LNG

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).