Qatar halts gas exports

Qatar’s gas export stoppage has become one of the clearest economic effects of the 2026 Iran war. QatarEnergy declared force majeure on liquefied natural gas shipments on March 4 after attacks on production facilities at Ras Laffan and a broader shipping freeze tied to the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. The halt hit a country that has built much of its trade surplus and state revenue on LNG sales. By May 9, one Qatari tanker was again sailing toward Hormuz, suggesting at least a tentative effort to resume some flows, Reuters reported. The disruption matters beyond Doha because Qatar is one of the world’s biggest LNG exporters. The International Energy Agency says about 93% of Qatar’s LNG exports transit the Strait of Hormuz, and that Qatari and Emirati LNG moving through the passage accounts for about 19% of global LNG trade. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said Qatar exported about 9.3 billion cubic feet per day of LNG through Hormuz in 2024, with most cargoes headed to Asia. ### When did Qatar actually stop exporting gas? March 4 was the key date for the formal export stoppage. Reuters reported that QatarEnergy declared force majeure on LNG shipments that day after attacks on its facilities amid the war involving Iran. Separate Reuters reporting said Qatar was moving to a full shutdown of gas liquefaction and might need at least a month to return to normal production and export levels. March 2 was the date Reuters and other outlets cited for the production halt itself at Ras Laffan. That distinction matters because production can stop before contractual notices are issued. In practice, the two steps signaled the same thing to buyers: Qatari cargoes could not be relied on under normal schedules. ### Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter so much for Qatar? The Strait of Hormuz is the route Qatar uses to get almost all of its LNG to market. The IEA says 93% of Qatar’s LNG exports and 96% of the UAE’s LNG exports pass through the strait. Unlike some Gulf oil exporters, Qatar does not have a meaningful alternative route that bypasses the chokepoint for LNG. The EIA said about one-fifth of global LNG trade moved through Hormuz in 2024, primarily from Qatar. It estimated that 83% of the LNG moving through the strait went to Asian markets. That left Asian buyers especially exposed when shipping through the waterway became unsafe or unavailable. ### What caused the halt — plant damage or shipping risk? Reuters reported that attacks on production facilities at Ras Laffan triggered QatarEnergy’s force majeure declaration. That made the issue partly an upstream and processing problem, not only a shipping one. Other reports in March described a broader freeze in Gulf maritime traffic as insurers, shipowners and charterers reassessed the risk of transiting Hormuz during the conflict. The New York Times reported on May 17 that Iranian attacks had paralyzed Qatar’s gas exports and damaged the country’s plans for growth beyond energy. That account described a wider economic shock in Qatar, where trade, tourism and investment were also hit by the conflict. ### Did any Qatari cargoes start moving again? May 9 brought the first clear sign of movement. Reuters reported that the Qatari LNG tanker Al Kharaitiyat was sailing toward the Strait of Hormuz after leaving Ras Laffan for Port Qasim in Pakistan, according to LSEG shipping data. Reuters said a successful passage would mark the first transit by a Qatari LNG tanker through the strait since the start of the war on Iran. Bloomberg separately reported on May 10 that a tanker carrying LNG from Qatar appeared to have transited the strait and entered the Gulf of Oman. That did not amount to a broad normalization of exports, but it showed that at least some shipments might resume under tightly watched conditions. ### What should engineers, contractors and buyers watch next? LNG buyers will be watching cargo tracking, contract notices and official statements from QatarEnergy for evidence of whether isolated sailings become a regular export pattern. The IEA has said disruptions in Hormuz can strand LNG that cannot easily be rerouted, making vessel movement itself a leading indicator. Project teams in Qatar and the wider Gulf will also be watching diesel supply, marine logistics and vendor delivery schedules. Reuters reported in March that normal production and export levels were not expected to return for at least a month after the shutdown. The next concrete marker is whether more tankers follow Al Kharaitiyat through Hormuz and whether QatarEnergy updates customers on force majeure notices or restart timing.