QatarEnergy seeks multi-year US LNG contracts to offset Ras Laffan outage

Iranian attacks in mid-March damaged two liquefaction units at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial Complex, leading QatarEnergy to extend force majeure on deliveries through November. To compensate for the shortfall, the company has begun discussions with the United States’ two largest LNG exporters, Venture Global and Cheniere Energy, as well as Australia’s Woodside Energy, which is marketing its Louisiana project. Repairs to the affected trains could take three to five years, with some estimates leaning toward the longer end, suggesting a prolonged supply gap.

The outage removed a significant portion of Qatar’s export capacity, causing cancellations for customers like Italy’s Edison and prompting Asian markets to turn to the spot market at elevated prices. QatarEnergy’s pursuit of contracts lasting until 2031 signals its intent to reassure buyers of continued reliability despite the ongoing disruption.