Energy giants invoke force majeure on Qatari LNG shipments

Shell and TotalEnergies, along with other Asian firms, have declared force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies sourced from QatarEnergy. This action follows Qatar's decision to suspend production at facilities with a capacity of 77 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) due to reported strikes on energy infrastructure. Qatar, the world's second-largest LNG exporter, has also declared force majeure on its own outgoing shipments. While Shell is the world's largest LNG trader, it receives approximately 6.8 million tonnes annually from Qatar, while TotalEnergies receives about 5.2 million tonnes. The Qatari Energy Minister, Saad al-Kaabi, stated that full restoration of supplies could take weeks or months even if current regional conflicts were to cease immediately. According to reports citing industry sources, deliveries scheduled for March are expected to remain unaffected, with disruptions anticipated to begin thereafter. Shell and TotalEnergies both maintain long-term partnerships with QatarEnergy and are involved in the North Field expansion project, which aims to increase production capacity by 2027.