‘First NFE train expected to come online in first half of 2027’

In a recent interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO of QatarEnergy, H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, announced that the first train of the North Field East (NFE) project is expected to come online in the first half of 2027. The NFE project is part of Qatar's North Field expansion, which is progressing well. Al-Kaabi also mentioned that the North Field South (NFS) project is going well.

However, Al-Kaabi cautioned that some equipment may not be able to enter the projects due to ongoing crisis over the Strait of Hormuz. This crisis could potentially delay some of these projects. Regarding the Golden Pass LNG project in the United States, Al-Kaabi stated that the first train has already started shipments, and he anticipates both the second and third trains to be fully operational by the following year.

QatarEnergy continues to expand its international exploration portfolio, with projects in Namibia, Cyprus, Angola, Brazil, Argentina, and other locations. The company is one of the largest exploration block holders in the world. Al-Kaabi also mentioned that QatarEnergy's Golden Triangle ethane cracker project with Chevron Phillips was entering the commissioning phase.

Al-Kaabi highlighted that QatarEnergy's long-term expansion strategy aims to meet expected LNG demand beyond 2030, despite potential increased global supply in 2027 and 2028. He also addressed the impact of the Hormuz disruption on Qatar's LNG production, noting that the majority of production remained offline. If the Strait of Hormuz reopens, QatarEnergy could return to normal operations within a couple of weeks.

Furthermore, Al-Kaabi emphasized that QatarEnergy is rapidly expanding its LNG trading business and expects to become the world's largest LNG trader. He confirmed that QatarEnergy is exploring opportunities to enter the Venezuelan market with partners.