QatarEnergy to Expand Country’s LNG Production Capacity to 142 MTPA

QatarEnergy announced that work is currently underway at a new LNG expansion project, North Field West, to increase Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 142 MTPA before the end of 2030. This production increase is approximately 85% higher than current Qatari production levels. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, President and CEO of QatarEnergy, made the announcement during a press conference at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha.

Al-Kaabi announced that extensive appraisal drilling and testing have confirmed productive layers of Qatar’s North Field extend towards the west, which allows for the development of a new LNG production project in Ras Laffan. The CEO also announced the presence of large additional gas quantities in the North Field estimated at 240 trillion cubic feet, which raises Qatar’s gas reserves from 1,760 to more than 2,000 trillion cubic feet. Condensate reserves were also raised from 70 to more than 80 billion barrels, in addition to quantities of liquefied petroleum gas, ethane, and helium.

Al-Kaabi announcing the North Field West project; Image Credits: QatarEnergy

“QatarEnergy has focused its efforts and attention on determining how far west the North Field’s productive layers extend in order to evaluate the production potential from those areas. We have continued geological and engineering studies and have drilled a number of appraisal wells in that area,” said Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, President & CEO, QatarEnergy. “I am pleased today to announce that these efforts have confirmed, through technical tests of the appraisal wells, the extension of the North Field’s productive layers further towards the west, which means the ability to produce significant additional quantities of gas from this new sector.”

QatarEnergy will immediately begin the basic engineering works necessary to ensure that the planned progress is achieved under the new project’s approved schedule. The company will implement various aspects of the North Field production expansion projects, including the North Field East and North Field South projects.

“These are important results that will take Qatar’s gas industry to new horizons, as they will enable us to begin developing a new LNG project from the North Field’s western sector with a production capacity of about 16 MTPA,” said Al-Kaabi. “As such, the State of Qatar's total LNG production will reach about 142 MTPA when this new expansion is completed before the end of this decade. This represents an increase of almost 85% compared to current production levels. With the completion of this project, the State of Qatar’s total hydrocarbon production will exceed 7.25 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.”