QatarEnergy LNG is the world's largest LNG producer and exporter, operating all of Qatar's LNG production facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLIC), ~80 km north of Doha. All LNG is produced from natural gas sourced from Qatar's North Field — the world's largest single natural gas reservoir, estimated to hold ~10% of global proven natural gas reserves. The LNG facility at Ras Laffan comprises 14 operational LNG trains organized under four North (N) train joint ventures (formerly Qatargas trains) and three South (S) train joint ventures (formerly RasGas trains), giving a combined current production capacity of approximately 77 MTPA.
Corporate Identity & History
QatarEnergy LNG was established in its current form following the merger of Qatargas and RasGas in January 2017, which created a single, unified LNG operator. The company was formerly named Qatargas after the merger and was subsequently rebranded to QatarEnergy LNG in 2022, aligned with the broader renaming of Qatar Petroleum to QatarEnergy in 2021. Its year of incorporation traces back to 1984, when Qatargas was originally founded.
Key Milestones in Ownership Consolidation
| Date |
Event |
| 1984 |
Qatargas (QG1) established as JV with
Total, ExxonMobil, Marubeni, Mitsui |
| Jan 1, 2018 |
Merger of Qatargas and RasGas completed;
new unified Qatargas operating company formed,
00% held by QP at the operating company level |
| 2021 |
QP announces it will not renew the QG1
JV agreements expiring 31 Dec 2021 |
| Jan 1, 2022 |
QP (later renamed QatarEnergy) becomes
100% sole owner of QG1 assets,
completing full consolidation |
| 2022 |
Company rebranded from Qatargas
to QatarEnergy LNG |
Relationship to QatarEnergy
QatarEnergy LNG is a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of QatarEnergy, as confirmed in QatarEnergy's 2023 consolidated financial statements. QatarEnergy holds this stake through its corporate holding structure, with QatarEnergy LNG Investments (QELNGI) serving as an intermediate holding entity. While QatarEnergy holds 100% of the operating company, the individual LNG train joint ventures (e.g., QatarEnergy LNG N1, N2, S1, S2, etc.) have their own separate shareholder structures involving international partners such as ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Mitsui and Marubeni holding minority equity stakes at the train level.
Operational Scope
QatarEnergy LNG manages 14 LNG trains at Ras Laffan Industrial City, with a combined current production capacity standing at approximately 77 MTPA, organized under two groupings:
QatarEnergy LNG (N) — formerly Qatargas trains
| JV Entity |
Trains |
Capacity |
Start |
Key Partners |
| N(1) |
T1, T2, T3 |
3 × 3.3 MTPA = 9.9 MTPA |
1996–1999 |
QatarEnergy 100%
(since Jan 2022) |
| N(2) |
T4, T5 |
2 × 7.8 MTPA = 15.6 MTPA |
2009 |
QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies |
| N(3) |
T6 |
1 × 7.8 MTPA = 7.8 MTPA |
2010 |
QatarEnergy 68.5%, ConocoPhillips 30%, Mitsui 1.5% |
| N(4) |
T7 |
1 × 7.8 MTPA = 7.8 MTPA |
2011 |
QatarEnergy, Shell |
QatarEnergy LNG (S) — formerly RasGas trains
| JV Entity |
Trains |
Capacity |
Key Partners |
| S(1) |
T1, T2 |
~6.6 MTPA |
QatarEnergy, ExxonMobil |
| S(2) |
T3, T4, T5 |
~12.0 MTPA |
QatarEnergy, ExxonMobil |
| S(3) |
T6, T7 |
~15.6 MTPA |
QatarEnergy, ExxonMobil |
Associated Products
Beyond LNG, QatarEnergy LNG's trains co-produce a range of associated products:
- LPG (propane and butane): ~0.85 MTPA per mega-train
- Condensate: ~90,000 b/d from mega-trains (N2)
- Ethane: for feedstock supply to downstream petrochemical facilities at RLIC
- Sulfur: recovered as a byproduct
North Field Expansion (NFE/NFS)
QatarEnergy LNG is executing the largest LNG expansion in history, adding new trains under two programmes:
- North Field East (NFE): 4 new mega-trains, each 8 MTPA (+32 MTPA); first train targeted mid-2026
- North Field South (NFS): 2 new mega-trains (+16 MTPA); targeted 2027–2028
- Total expanded capacity: ~126 MTPA (Qatar) and up to ~160 MTPA including the Golden Pass LNG project in Texas
LNG Fleet
QatarEnergy LNG operates one of the world's largest dedicated LNG shipping fleets:
- 70 LNG carriers currently in operation
- 128 vessels on order to support expansion
- Fleet includes proprietary Q-Max (266,000 m³) and Q-Flex (216,000 m³) vessel classes — the largest LNG tankers in the world
Markets & Long-Term Contracts
Qatar LNG is supplied under long-term sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) to major buyers globally, including TotalEnergies (France), Shell (UK), Sinopec and CNOOC (China), Petronet (India), JERA and Tokyo Gas (Japan), Eni (Italy), and others. Key destination markets are Asia (Japan, South Korea, China, India — ~70% of volumes) and Europe (~30%).
⚠️ Note (March 2026): On 2 March 2026, QatarEnergy halted all LNG production following Iranian drone strikes on facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City. The duration of the suspension and extent of damage were under assessment at the time of reporting.
