Iranian attacks have disrupted approximately 17 percent of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity, Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, said. The damage is estimated to result in annual revenue losses of around $20 billion and poses a significant threat to gas supplies to Europe and Asia.
Al Kaabi, in remarks carried by Qatar News Agency, said two out of 14 LNG processing units and one gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant were damaged in the attacks.
He added that the disruption will halt the production of approximately 12.8 million tonnes of LNG annually for a period of three to five years, depending on repair timelines.
QatarEnergy may extend its force majeure declaration on long-term LNG supply contracts, potentially affecting deliveries to Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China, the minister said.
“These are long-term contracts, and we have to declare force majeure on them. We have already declared it, but for a shorter period. Now, it will be for as long as necessary,” Al Kaabi stated.
He also confirmed that U.S.-based energy company ExxonMobil holds stakes in the affected facilities, with 34 percent in the S4 unit and 30 percent in the S6 unit.
The minister said the damaged units were built at an estimated cost of $26 billion, and restoring operations will depend on the cessation of hostilities.
“To resume production, we first need the fighting to stop,” he said.
QatarEnergy had earlier declared force majeure on its LNG production following previous attacks on its facilities in Ras Laffan.
The disruption is expected to add pressure on global energy markets, particularly in Europe and Asia, which rely heavily on LNG imports from Qatar.
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