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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.

On 19 March, QatarEnergy confirmed that two Ras Laffan LNG trains had been destroyed, removing 12.8m tonnes of annual capacity for three to five years.

Last refreshed: 22 September 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics

Key Question

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

Timeline for QatarEnergy

#180 28 Sept

Extended force majeure on gas cargoes into November and December

Iran Conflict 2026: QatarEnergy suspends gas as ships move
#179 20 Sept
#28 19 Jul

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

European Energy Markets: IRGC claims Hormuz closed; CENTCOM denies it
#27 15 Jul
#26 13 Jul
View full timeline →

Background

QatarEnergy is Qatar's state-owned Liquefied Natural Gas company. It develops and exports gas from the North Field, which it shares with Iran's South Pars field. Its relevance rests on the scale of its LNG system and Qatar's role in supplying international gas markets.

QatarEnergy centres that system on Ras Laffan. In March 2026, reporting described the site as handling 77m tonnes of LNG annually. The company also operates Mesaieed, giving it a central role in Qatar's gas processing and export infrastructure.

QatarEnergy's durable significance comes from its position between the North Field resource and overseas LNG buyers. The loss of two trains confirmed on 19 March showed how damage to a small part of this concentrated system can remove capacity for years.

Key Issues
Ras Laffan damage

QatarEnergy loses two LNG trains

Iranian strikes damaged QatarEnergy's Ras Laffan complex on 16 March. The site handled 77m tonnes of LNG a year, making damage to its processing trains a direct constraint on the company's export business.

On 19 March, chief executive Saad al-Kaabi confirmed that two of Qatar's 14 LNG trains and a gas-to-liquids facility had been destroyed. The lost trains removed 12.8m tonnes of annual capacity for an estimated three to five years, so reopening the strait of Hormuz cannot restore QatarEnergy's previous output.

LNG restart

Hormuz limits QatarEnergy's return

QatarEnergy's recovery remained dependent on SAFE tanker passage after the Hormuz disruption. On 3 July, the company was operating at about 35% of capacity, below its stated target of reaching 50% within a month of safe transit.

Physical constraints also slowed QatarEnergy's operations. On 3 July, naval escorts were moving only three to four LNG tankers a day through the strait, placing QatarEnergy's restart pace under convoy capacity and insurance conditions. A carrier strike then halted its planned ramp-up on 9 July, prolonging the gap between available plant capacity and exports.

Contract disruption

Force majeure disrupts QatarEnergy contracts

QatarEnergy declared Force majeure after early March strikes damaged Ras Laffan. On 1 March, the declaration affected buyers in Belgium, Italy and Poland, cutting the company's ability to meet contracted deliveries while its export system was disrupted.

The declaration mattered beyond those direct customers because QatarEnergy's missing cargoes tightened competition for flexible LNG. On 19 March, the company confirmed Force majeure on contracts with Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China after confirming the loss of two trains. For QatarEnergy, the commercial obligation remains tied to both damaged production capacity and passage through Hormuz.

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