QatarEnergy expects the first train of its North Field East liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion project to start production in the first half of 2027, but additional trains will depend on the resolution of the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Reuters reports.
Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum Special Edition in New York on Sunday, QatarEnergy Chief Executive Officer Saad al-Kaabi, who is also minister of state for energy affairs, says equipment needed for the expansion remains unable to reach the country because of the disruption in the waterway.
Kaabi says attacks on the country’s Ras Laffan gas facility have damaged two LNG trains, where repairs could take three years to complete, and one gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant that will complete repairs in the first quarter of 2027.
“Despite the damage, Qatar would be able to resume normal gas operations within weeks once the Strait of Hormuz reopens,” Kaabi says, adding that QatarEnergy is producing very little LNG.
