Hormuz Shipping Disruptions Threaten QatarEnergy's LNG Expansion Plans
QatarEnergy's CEO and energy minister Saad al-Kaabi warned that shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz are threatening the company's LNG roadmap. The first train of the North Field East (NFE) expansion is still on track to start up in the first half of 2027, but subsequent trains will be dependent on the resumption of normal shipping flows.
The damage at Ras Laffan has taken out about 17% of Qatar's LNG capacity, including two trains that could take up to three years to repair. Kaabi also mentioned that a gas-to-liquids facility is currently being repaired and expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.
In contrast, the Golden Pass LNG project in Texas, which is a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil, has shipped its first cargo in April and is expected to reach an output of 18 million metric tons per year when all three trains are fully operational.