ADNOC Keeps Loading LNG as Hormuz Risks Intensify

Emirati energy company ADNOC continues to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Persian Gulf, despite growing tensions between the United States and Iran, according to a Bloomberg report citing satellite imaging data. On September 2, two tankers were docked at ADNOC’s Das Island export terminal, both with transponders switched off to evade detection.

ADNOC has managed to unload some LNG despite the risks, a tactic that oil tankers also employ. The company, facing severe disruptions from the Hormuz Strait closure, has been aggressively expanding a pipeline bypassing the chokepoint. To ensure LNG exports, the UAE has resorted to rare ship-to-ship transfers outside the Strait of Hormuz, a move not commonly seen for LNG cargoes but potentially beneficial for boosting exports.

Recently, three LNG carriers from Qatar and the UAE unloaded their cargoes outside the Strait in the past month. ADNOC is also constructing a new pipeline to Fujairah, doubling the capacity of the existing export route to Fujairah by next year. However, despite these efforts, LNG and oil flows remain largely frozen, raising concerns about potential supply impacts that could extend into 2027.