Qatar Domestic Gas Plant Malfunction Blast Leaves 18 Missing
(Bloomberg) Qatar said an incident during the startup of the Ras Laffan industrial complex resulted in a blast that has injured dozens, underscoring the risks to Middle East energy facilities as they ramp up production after the US-Iran ceasefire.
An explosion and fire hit the Barzan local gas supply facility on Sunday, according to operator QatarEnergy. Qatar’s interior ministry said in an online post that 54 people were injured in the blast, and 18 are missing.
The Barzan gas plant feeds domestic industries and power generation, and it is unclear if liquefied natural gas output will be affected. Qatar, the second-biggest LNG exporter before the war, halted production of the super-chilled fuel early in the conflict between the US and Iran after attacks on its vast facilities and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The explosion illustrates the challenge that the Gulf nation faces as it seeks to ramp up operations at Ras Laffan, the world’s biggest LNG export plant. Its progress is being closely monitored by the market as a fast resumption would ease global prices. US-Iran tensions saw Dutch natural gas prices — an international benchmark — rise early on Monday.
Restarting operations at gas facilities is a complex process that requires carefully balancing pressure to avoid damage and leaks. Qatar is seeking to resume 80% of LNG production at Ras Laffan within two months of Hormuz safely opening.
Spanning roughly 300 square kilometers, Ras Laffan is one of the world’s largest industrial hubs, housing LNG export plants, refineries, gas-to-liquids facilities, desalination units, and power stations.
It doesn’t appear that Qatar is trying to slow down the restart of LNG exports. Four tankers — either owned by Qatar’s state shipping company or under long-term charter with the country — were traveling through Hormuz toward Ras Laffan on Monday, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
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