Gastech Leaders Warn Gas Recovery Will Take Time After Hormuz Reopens
Leaders at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok have warned that gas recovery will take time even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens. Cederic Cremers, Shell's president of integrated gas, said nearly seven months of Middle East disruption has left 36 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates absent from the global market compared to last year.
Cremers stated that restoring Shell's Pearl GTL plant in Qatar would take about a year after missile damage sustained early in the conflict. Operations were expected to resume towards the end of the first quarter of 2027.
The leaders agreed that long-term contracts are necessary for energy security, particularly in Asia, which relies heavily on imported gas. Cremers noted that major producers Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had been unable to operate normally during nearly seven months of disruption.