Shell has partially restarted its Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Qatar, six months after it was damaged during the Iran war. QatarEnergy has also resumed some contractual naphtha deliveries and offered up to 50,000 metric tons of naphtha cargoes, including Pearl-GTL grades, to the spot market.
The restart is expected to gradually restore supplies to a market affected by disruptions to regional refining operations and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz. However, shipments remain subject to regional security conditions. Repairs to Pearl’s damaged Train 2 are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. At full capacity, the facility can produce 140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
Meanwhile, QatarEnergy’s first LNG train under its North Field East expansion project is expected to be ready for operation in November, potentially helping Qatar recover some lost output.