Qatar has unveiled ambitious plans to expand output from the largest natural gas field globally, aiming to increase capacity to 142 million tons per annum (mtpa) before 2030. The latest expansion, known as North Field West, will contribute an additional 16 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually to existing expansion initiatives, as informed by Qatar’s energy minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi.
Al-Kaabi, who also serves as the head of the state-owned company QatarEnergy, highlighted recent studies indicating substantial additional gas reserves in the North Field, estimated at 240 trillion cubic feet. This development raises Qatar’s gas reserves from 1,760 trillion cubic feet to over 2,000 trillion cubic feet.
According to al-Kaabi, these findings pave the way for the development of a new LNG project in the North Field’s western sector, with a projected production capacity of approximately 16 million tons per annum. He emphasized that once the new expansion is completed by the end of the decade, Qatar’s production capacity will surge to 142 million tons, marking an almost 85 percent increase from current levels.
QatarEnergy is poised to commence engineering works promptly to ensure the timely completion of the expansion. As reported by ALJAZEERA, known as one of the world’s leading LNG producers alongside the United States, Australia, and Russia, Qatar primarily serves Asian markets led by China, Japan, and South Korea. However, the demand for Qatari gas has also surged from European countries amid uncertainties in supplies following Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
