Qatar Reports Steady Gas Production Amidst Concerns

Qatar has affirmed that gas production at the South Pars field remains stable and supplies are flowing as usual. This statement follows reports that the expansive gas field was allegedly impacted by an Israeli airstrike on Saturday, which purportedly led Iran to temporarily halt some production activities.

Qatar, a major global exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), ranking third after the United States and Australia, shares the South Pars gas field with Iran.

According to Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, “Gas supplies are currently proceeding without disruption. However, this imprudent targeting has raised widespread concerns pertaining to overall gas supply security.”

Al-Ansari commented during a weekly press briefing held in Doha, stating, “This constitutes a rash action… The companies involved in operating within these fields have an international scope, with a significant global presence, especially within the North Field.”

The South Pars field, situated offshore in Iran’s southern Bushehr province, is a vital source for the majority of Iran’s gas production, and Iran holds the rank of being the third-largest gas producer worldwide, following the United States and Russia.

Data sourced from ICIS LNG Edge indicates that LNG loading operations at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG Terminal, which typically involve approximately 90 cargoes each month, are consistent with standard volumes.

Robert Songer, an LNG analyst at ICIS, remarked, “Presently, there seems to be over a dozen vessels in ballast, awaiting cargo outside the port. Ordinarily, these vessels would be expected to load expeditiously. However, it remains uncertain whether delays will occur.”

An LNG tanker known as HLAITAN, after delivering a shipment to India earlier in the month, was returning to Ras Laffan but is currently adrift outside the Strait of Hormuz.