Qatar LNG faces long road back after unprecedented disruption Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export operations have experienced their most severe disruption in over two decades, with analysts warning that while partial recovery may occur within months, full restoration of pre-disruption output could take years. Data from tanker and gas analyst Nikolas Zannikos at AXSMarine highlights the dramatic decline in shipments, which plummeted from a near-decade-long range of 5.6 million to 7.8 million tonnes per month to just 0.47 million tonnes in March and 0.23 million tonnes in April. Year-to-date exports for 2026 now stand at 14.85 million tonnes, compared to a nine-year average of 27.1 million tonnes for the same period—a shortfall of approximately 12 million tonnes, equivalent to around 15% of a typical annual output. Zannikos described the scale of the disruption as “unprecedented,” noting that January and February 2026 remained within historical norms before flows collapsed following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent missile strikes on liquefaction Trains 4 and 6 in mid-March. These strikes, combined with the shutdown of Hormuz transit routes, severely impacted capacity, with the closure of two major trains reducing operational output. The disruption has also led to a declaration of force majeure by QatarEnergy on long-term contracts, forcing buyers in Asia and Europe to seek alternative supplies. Much of this demand has shifted to the U.S. Gulf Coast, where new terminals like Plaquemines, Corpus Christi, and Sabine Pass have helped mitigate the global supply shock. LNG Canada has also begun contributing volumes after its first cargoes in 2025. The recovery is expected to unfold in three distinct phases, each with varying timelines.#strait_of_hormuz #qatar_lng #qatar_energy #plaquemines #corpus_christi
