Qatar Begins Work to Resume LNG Production After Attacks Halt Global Supply

Qatar has begun work to restart its LNG export plant, which was fully halted in March due to military attacks, marking the first step toward restoring a significant portion of global supply.

The production halt was triggered by missile strikes that severely damaged two production units, requiring years of repairs, just as Europe's ban on Russian gas increased its reliance on Qatari LNG.

Although a full recovery will take years, this partial resumption is expected to ease global energy prices, which surged after the halt, while increased U.S. LNG exports provide some market relief.

Qatar has begun the complex process of restarting its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities after a complete shutdown in March caused by military attacks.

This situation began on March 2, 2026, when drone strikes forced QatarEnergy to halt all production, a move that instantly removed about one-fifth of the global spot LNG supply. The market reaction was swift and sharp, with European gas prices soaring by as much as 54% in a single day. The halt marked the longest export disruption from the energy giant since at least 2008, sending shockwaves through a market already on edge.

The crisis deepened due to a confluence of factors. First, Europe had just finalized a ban on Russian gas, making it structurally more dependent on reliable suppliers like Qatar. This magnified the impact of any disruption. Second, a subsequent missile strike on March 19 caused “extensive damage” to two critical liquefaction trains, sidelining a significant 16-17% of Qatar’s total capacity. QatarEnergy announced that repairs for these units could take a staggering three to five years.

However, the global market found some relief from another source. As Qatar's facilities went offline, U.S. LNG producers, particularly Cheniere Energy, were ramping up their output. Cheniere’s new Corpus Christi Train 5 reached full capacity in late March, injecting much-needed supply into the spot market. This new U.S. production helped cushion the blow from Qatar’s outage, preventing prices from spiraling even higher.

Therefore, Qatar’s announcement of restart work signals a shift from an indefinite outage to a phased, partial recovery. While the damaged trains represent a long-term problem, bringing the unaffected units back online is a crucial first step. For Qatar, 2026 has transformed from an "expansion year" to a "repair year," and the global energy market will be watching every step of its recovery closely.

LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas): Natural gas that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport.
Liquefaction Train: A large-scale industrial facility used to liquefy natural gas by cooling it to approximately -162 °C (-260 °F).
Force Majeure: A common clause in contracts that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond their control occurs.

Qatar Begins Work to Resume LNG Production After Attacks Halt Global Supply

Qatar has begun work to restart its LNG export plant, which was fully halted in March due to military attacks, marking the first step toward restoring a significant portion of global supply.

The production halt was triggered by missile strikes that severely damaged two production units, requiring years of repairs, just as Europe's ban on Russian gas increased its reliance on Qatari LNG.

Although a full recovery will take years, this partial resumption is expected to ease global energy prices, which surged after the halt, while increased U.S. LNG exports provide some market relief.

Qatar has begun the complex process of restarting its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities after a complete shutdown in March caused by military attacks.

LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas): Natural gas that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport.
Liquefaction Train: A large-scale industrial facility used to liquefy natural gas by cooling it to approximately -162 °C (-260 °F).
Force Majeure: A common clause in contracts that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond their control occurs.