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Ras Laffan Industrial City
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Ras Laffan Industrial City

Qatar's LNG export hub; 14 trains, ~17% global LNG capacity; struck by Iran March 2026, force majeure declared.

As of 20 August 2026, Ras Laffan Industrial City remains qatar's lng export hub; 14 trains, ~17% global lng capacity; struck by iran march 2026, force majeure declared.

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

Key Question

With two trains gone, can Ras Laffan ever supply Europe at pre-war levels?

Timeline for Ras Laffan Industrial City

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Background

Ras Laffan was built from 1996 on Qatar's northeastern coast to exploit the North Field, the world's largest single gas reservoir, shared with Iran's South Pars. The complex has become the operational centre of Qatar's LNG export economy: 14 liquefaction trains with roughly 77 million tonnes of annual capacity, about 17% of world LNG export capacity, run by state operator QatarEnergy. Long-term contracts tie the facility to buyers in Japan, South Korea, China, India and Europe, and QatarEnergy had committed to expanding capacity to 126 million tonnes a year before the 2026 conflict.

Iranian strikes in March 2026 destroyed two of the fourteen trains, a structural loss now expected to cap Ras Laffan's output at around 80% of nameplate for three to five years regardless of when the wider Strait of Hormuz dispute is resolved. No Qatari LNG transited the strait between 28 February and early April 2026, and QatarEnergy declared Force majeure on contracts including Belgium, Italy and Poland.

Common Questions

Reference

What is the North Field?
The world's largest single natural gas reservoir, shared between Qatar and Iran. Qatar extracts from it via Ras Laffan; the shared geology has long been a source of Iranian grievance over Qatar's extraction rates.
What is Ras Laffan Industrial City?
Qatar's primary LNG export hub, built from 1996 to exploit the North Field gas reservoir. Operated by QatarEnergy with 14 liquefaction trains and 77 million tonnes annual export capacity, supplying roughly 17-20% of globally traded LNG.
Can Ras Laffan reach pre-war LNG output after Hormuz reopens?
Not fully, and not soon. Two production trains were permanently destroyed, capping Ras Laffan at roughly 80% of pre-war output even once fully restored, which requires multi-year reconstruction. The near-term picture is worse than QatarEnergy's own June guidance suggested: after a 7 July strike on the tanker Al Rekayyat, the company reversed course and is holding output at a minimum, with Force majeure extended to some Asian buyers into August.Source: European Energy Markets, Update #25
Is Ras Laffan still shut down?
Not shut down but FAR below capacity. QatarEnergy is holding Ras Laffan at minimum output after a 7 July strike on the tanker Al Rekayyat, having reversed its late-June guidance of reaching 50% of capacity within a month; Force majeure notices to some Asian buyers now extend into August.Source: European Energy Markets, Update #25
How many LNG trains at Ras Laffan were destroyed by Iran?
Two of the 14 liquefaction trains at Ras Laffan were destroyed in Iranian strikes in March 2026. QatarEnergy says full recovery will take years, and the two-train loss permanently caps output at roughly 80% of pre-war capacity even after Hormuz reopens.Source: European Energy Markets, Update #19
Was Ras Laffan attacked by Iran?
Yes. Iranian drone strikes in March 2026 forced QatarEnergy to halt all production and declare Force majeure. A subsequent Ballistic missile strike caused extensive damage. Force majeure remains in force.Source: QatarEnergy
When did Iran strike Ras Laffan and what was damaged?
Iranian drone and Ballistic missile strikes hit Ras Laffan in March 2026, causing significant LNG output losses. QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi confirmed the damage and declared Force majeure on European supply contracts.Source: event
What share of Europe's gas supply comes from Ras Laffan?
Before the conflict, EU member states had accelerated QatarEnergy contracts from 2022 to replace Russian pipeline gas. Belgium, Italy, and Poland were among the primary buyers under long-term contracts now subject to Force majeure.Source: European Commission
Why did European gas prices spike in March 2026?
Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan forced QatarEnergy to halt all LNG production, removing roughly 17-20% of globally traded LNG. European gas prices surged 45-54% as buyers competed for alternative supply.Source: editorial
Source Material
Qatar LNG and the Ras Laffan complex — BBC NewsQatar's Ras Laffan: the hub of global LNG supply — ReutersRas Laffan Industrial City — QatarEnergyRas Laffan Industrial City — Wikipedia