Satellite intelligence firm Kayrros has detected thermal signals at Ras Laffan Industrial City consistent with early-stage recommissioning — the first concrete indication that the facility is beginning to resume operations.
ConocoPhillips told the Flame conference in Amsterdam that its two joint ventures with QatarEnergy are continuing as planned, and that any war-related delays to Qatar’s massive LNG expansion are likely to be measured in months rather than years.
“North Field East and North Field South JVs are ongoing, and while we may see some delays, they are more likely to be measured in months rather than years,” said Burgess, ConocoPhillips’ head of Europe Gas, at the Amsterdam gas and LNG industry conference, according to Reuters.
The remarks are significant because the stakes are enormous. Qatar’s North Field East and North Field South projects form the backbone of a plan to raise the country’s LNG production capacity from 77 million metric tons per year (MTPA) to 126 MTPA — an expansion that could significantly reshape global gas supply balances if completed close to schedule.
Both projects suffered a major setback when strikes hit onshore facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City on March 19, several weeks after the outbreak of the Iran war. The site, home to QatarEnergy’s LNG complex, remained largely offline during the following two months.
Marco Saalfrank, head of merchant trading at Swiss energy group AXPO, provided a more cautious estimate at the same conference. He suggested delays could range from six months to one year, depending on how quickly the Iran conflict is resolved — a factor largely beyond the industry’s control.
ConocoPhillips holds partnership stakes in QatarEnergy’s main LNG developments, covering both offshore North Field assets and onshore infrastructure at Ras Laffan, making the recovery timeline directly relevant to the company’s long-term LNG portfolio.