Published : 11 Sep 2026, 06:56 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:49 AM
Qatar is in talks to buy liquefied natural gas from US suppliers under long-term agreements as the Iran war severely disrupts its ability to serve customers, Bloomberg reports.
State-owned QatarEnergy is considering supplies from both operating and under-construction US export projects, Bloomberg said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the private negotiations.
The potential agreements would be the first indication since the war began that Qatar is looking beyond West Asia to expand its LNG portfolio and secure alternative supplies for customers, according to the report.
Qatar previously accounted for around one-fifth of global LNG exports, but its shipments have almost entirely stopped because of the risks associated with sending gas tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the conflict erupted in late February, Qatar had been advancing plans to nearly double production from its Ras Laffan LNG export complex by 2030.
The facility, described by Bloomberg as the world’s largest LNG plant, was reportedly damaged during the conflict, with earlier reports blaming an Iranian strike.
Full repairs could take between three and five years, Bloomberg said.
With no clear end to the war in sight, the prospect of a prolonged conflict is pushing Qatar to strengthen its LNG trading operations and secure supplies outside the Gulf, the report said.
Qatar already has access to some US LNG through its ownership stake in the Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas.
The facility began exports in April and has since been gradually increasing production.
QatarEnergy Trading, the company’s trading arm, has also expanded its capacity to market and ship US-produced LNG, mainly through shorter-term transactions.
