Qatar Plans to Restore 80% of LNG Production Capacity Within Two Months
Alina Collins
QatarEnergy has told buyers it plans to reach 50% LNG capacity within one month and 80% within two months once the Strait of Hormuz reopens — faster than many analysts expected — but the remaining 20%, damaged by Iranian missiles, will take years to repair, leaving a persistent supply gap.
How fast is 80% in two months — and why does it matter?
Qatar's Ras Laffan complex is the world's largest LNG facility. Last year it shipped roughly one-fifth of global LNG supply.
The plan is a two-step ramp: 50% within one month, 80% within two — faster than some analysts and traders had expected.
This means → the single largest hole in global LNG supply could be mostly filled within two months, easing the squeeze on European and Asian gas markets.
Why can't the last 20% come back?
The missing 20% corresponds to two production trains damaged by Iranian missile strikes in March.
Sources say a full repair will take several years. QatarEnergy declined to comment.
In plain terms = eighty percent is "fixable with a fast restart." The last twenty percent is structural damage — equipment destroyed, not just switched off.
What preparations are already under way?
Since April, QatarEnergy has been testing equipment and carrying out maintenance. Several trains are running at reduced capacity.
Part of the output goes to neighbouring states; the rest keeps the lines warm for a rapid ramp-up.
Qatar has also shipped small volumes to Asian buyers by hiding tanker positions, though deliveries remain far below normal levels.
When will the strait actually reopen?
President Trump has said repeatedly that Hormuz will open before this Friday, the scheduled date for a US–Iran deal.
European allies are less optimistic; a senior US official said mine-clearance work still needs to continue.
This means → a gap remains between political promises and actual safe passage. Shipowners, traders, and producers are all waiting for clarity.
What does this mean for global LNG prices?
Qatar's return will help ease the global supply crunch, but European and Asian LNG prices remain above pre-war levels.
Whether the 80% target is met within two months depends on two variables: the actual pace of strait reopening and the speed of repairing the damaged trains.
In plain terms = the direction is positive, but a full return to pre-war prices will take time — the supply gap can only close by eighty percent, not one hundred.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.