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QatarEnergy
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QatarEnergy

Qatari state LNG company; ~20% of global supply; force majeure in force after Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan.

QatarEnergy is Qatar's state-owned LNG exporter, the world's largest, supplying roughly 20% of global LNG from the North Field it shares with Iran. Hormuz disruption has held exports near a third of capacity since a 7 July tanker strike, with force majeure running into August.

Last refreshed: 20 July 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics

Key Question

How much Qatari LNG can actually return to Europe after Hormuz reopens?

Timeline for QatarEnergy

#28 19 Jul

Held Ras Laffan at minimum output and extended force majeure to Asian buyers into August

European Energy Markets: Gas prices a strait nobody can verify
#27 15 Jul

Mentioned in: TTF hits EUR 55 on a Hormuz toll

European Energy Markets
#26 13 Jul

Mentioned in: TTF round-trips back above EUR 50

European Energy Markets
#25 9 Jul

TTF back over EUR 50 on withdrawn cargo

European Energy Markets
#25 9 Jul

Kept Ras Laffan at minimum output and extended force majeure into August

European Energy Markets: Qatar halts LNG ramp on carrier strike
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Follow Iran Conflict 2026 →Follow European Energy Markets →

Background

QatarEnergy is Qatar's wholly state-owned energy company and the world's largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas, supplying roughly 20% of global LNG from processing clusters at Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Petrochemical City. Its gas is drawn from the North Field, the world's largest single natural gas reservoir, which it shares with Iran's neighbouring South Pars field.

Two of QatarEnergy's Ras Laffan export trains were destroyed in strikes during the March 2026 Iran conflict, imposing a structural cap of roughly 20% on the company's output regardless of when transit through the Strait of Hormuz normalises; CEO Saad al-Kaabi has confirmed the export losses stem from that damage rather than later domestic-plant incidents.

The company holds a 70% stake in Golden Pass LNG at Sabine Pass, Texas, alongside ExxonMobil's 30%, and has used that US Gulf Coast asset to route a small share of cargoes to Europe via a roughly 15,000km Atlantic detour rather than through Hormuz. Its output underpins Qatar's per-Capita GDP and funds the Qatar Investment Authority, estimated at $475 billion, giving Doha outsized diplomatic leverage in the Hormuz standoff.

Common Questions

Reference

What is the Golden Pass LNG connection to QatarEnergy?
QatarEnergy holds a 70% stake in Golden Pass LNG at Sabine Pass, Texas, with ExxonMobil holding 30%. Since Ras Laffan exports are suspended, QatarEnergy is routing European-destined cargoes through Golden Pass, a 15,000 km Atlantic detour.Source: event
What share of global LNG does QatarEnergy supply?
QatarEnergy supplies approximately 20% of global LNG, exported from Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, drawing from the North Field, the world's largest single natural gas reservoir.Source: QatarEnergy / IEA
Does Qatar host US military?
Yes. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military base in the Middle East, while maintaining a non-belligerent status despite being targeted by Iran.Source: background
How quickly can QatarEnergy restart LNG exports after Hormuz reopens?
That guidance no longer holds. QatarEnergy originally guided a return to 50% of capacity within one month of SAFE Hormuz passage and 80% within two months, but after the 7 July strike on the tanker Al Rekayyat it reversed course: Ras Laffan is being held at minimum output, with Force majeure notices extended to some Asian buyers into August. Full recovery is measured in years regardless, because two production trains were permanently destroyed in March 2026.Source: European Energy Markets, Update #25
Has QatarEnergy resumed LNG exports after the Iranian strikes?
Only partially. QatarEnergy is running Ras Laffan at minimum output, having reversed a brief post-stand-down ramp-up after a 7 July strike on the tanker Al Rekayyat; Force majeure notices to some Asian buyers now extend into August. It continues to route a small number of cargoes via its 70% stake in Golden Pass LNG in Texas.Source: European Energy Markets, Update #25
Will QatarEnergy ever return to full LNG production after the 2026 strikes?
Not in the near term. Two Ras Laffan production trains were destroyed in March 2026, imposing a structural cap of roughly 20% below pre-war capacity even after Hormuz reopens. Multi-year reconstruction is required.Source: European Energy Markets, Update #19
Which European countries are most affected by the QatarEnergy force majeure?
The initial Force majeure notification covered buyers in Belgium, Italy, and Poland. The UK received the final pre-conflict Qatari LNG tanker on 10 April 2026, after which no further Qatari supply arrived by the direct Hormuz route.Source: event
What happened to urea prices because of the Iran war?
QatarEnergy halted downstream urea production after the April 1 tanker strike; urea reached $700 per metric tonne versus $400-490 before the war.Source: DB event
Was QatarEnergy attacked by Iran?
Yes. Iran struck a QatarEnergy fuel oil tanker in Qatari territorial waters on 1 April 2026, and earlier strikes hit the Ras Laffan industrial complex, halting all LNG production.Source: DB event
Source Material
QatarEnergy — BBC NewsQatarEnergy — Reuters coverageQatarEnergy Official WebsiteQatarEnergy — Wikipedia