Qatar’s North Field East natural gas expansion project will begin production by mid-2026, according to a statement issued by QatarEnergy Chief Executive Saad al-Kaabi on Tuesday.
Kaabi had earlier indicated in a late 2023 interview with Reuters that production at the North Field expansion would commence in 2026, with new liquefaction trains being added “every few months.” However, at the time, he did not provide a specific timeline for the start-up.
The state-owned QatarEnergy has entered into multiple long-term supply agreements with both European and Asian partners as part of the North Field expansion—one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. The project is expected to ramp up Qatar’s LNG production capacity from the current 77 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) to 126 mtpa by 2027.
The latest statement from QatarEnergy did not specify when the project is expected to reach its full capacity.
Additionally, the company confirmed it will begin LNG exports from the United States once the Golden Pass project comes online at the end of 2025.
LNG project timelines remain closely monitored by global energy markets, especially as several major projects around the world are facing delays.
