QatarEnergy is preparing to resume production of liquefied natural gas (LNG), reported Reuters, citing two sources.
The company is moving to restart operations following a halt in March 2026 caused by military attacks on its Ras Laffan and Mesaieed facilities in Qatar.
Two of the three trains at QELNG North 1 (Qatargas-1), Qatar's initial LNG project located in Ras Laffan Industrial City, have been reactivated. This facility encompasses three liquefaction trains with a total capacity of around ten million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
Full production is contingent on navigational access through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian Navy has issued warnings to ships against passing through the strait without Tehran's consent, stating that transit remains blocked, according to multiple shipping sources.
Last month, QatarEnergy reported significant damage to its Ras Laffan Industrial City hub due to missile attacks by Iran.
This damage resulted in an estimated annual revenue loss of around $20bn (QR72.8bn).
The attacks on 18 and 19 March led to a reduction of approximately 17% in the country's LNG export capacity, impacting markets in Europe and Asia.
Two LNG production units, Trains 4 and 6, suffered damage, reducing output by 12.8mtpa.
Repairs to the production facilities are expected to take up to five years, the company said.
QatarEnergy also revealed plans in March to declare force majeure on several long-term LNG supply contracts due to the disruptions in production and supply. The impacted customers include those in Italy, South Korea, Belgium and China.
Earlier this month, QatarEnergy confirmed that the Aqua 1, a fuel oil tanker under its charter, was targeted by a missile in Qatar’s territorial waters early on 1 April 2026. No crew members sustained injuries and the incident has not affected the environment.
