Qatar’s prime minister says crews are preparing tankers and production could normalize within weeks, but supply risks and damaged facilities may delay full recovery.
Qatar plans to resume normal production of liquefied natural gas within a few weeks.
According to Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, these remarks were reported by the Financial Times. Al-Thani stressed that the country has already begun preparing its tankers after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding.
Qatar is the second-largest LNG exporter in the world; the country’s facilities were hit at the outset of the war between the United States and Iran.
Within a few weeks, production will return to normal levels, except for the damaged facility. Our teams have been mobilized for several weeks.
– Financial Times
Al-Thani added that QatarEnergy is preparing to resume normal operations as soon as the situation in the Strait of Hormuz stabilizes.
Qatar, which together with Pakistan acts as a mediator in talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland, expects that shipping in the strait will begin to return to normal within a few weeks of the agreement being signed.
However, Al-Thani warned that the state-owned QatarEnergy will lift force majeure only when it is convinced that all issues have been resolved and it can operate safely.
The Prime Minister also noted that creating a “hotline” between the United States and Iran is necessary to prevent malicious interference in the operation of the Strait of Hormuz, to combat misinformation, and to coordinate demining the strait.
According to Al-Thani, the aim of the hotline is to ensure that any vessel facing threats is checked by Iran and can pass safely.
The Qatari Prime Minister stressed that restoring full movement through the Strait of Hormuz will take time, even with the strait fully open. In the coming months, shortages of certain goods are expected, including fertilizers, urea, petrochemical products, and helium.
Stance on global ramifications
The economic consequences of the conflict between the United States and Iran will take time to recover, Al-Thani stressed, noting that the most affected markets will be those linked to energy and the agricultural sector, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz.
In the context of these events, Qatar continues to coordinate actions with partners to stabilize energy supplies and reduce risks on global markets.