How Qatar Bought Its Customers' Peace of Mind Again | Report

QatarEnergy purchased 33 spot LNG cargoes from the US for customers in Asia, after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz halted Qatari gas exports. The move aims to maintain its reliability as a trusted gas supplier.

In 2026, following the Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that halted global oil and gas exports, QatarEnergy purchased 33 spot LNG cargoes from the United States. The shipments are destined for South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, and Japan. Of these, 28 have already been delivered and five more are en route. The purchases, worth about $1 billion, represent a third of the company's monthly exports before the conflict. The move aims to maintain Qatar's reliability as a trusted gas supplier, after it declared force majeure due to the shipping route blockade. The United States has become the world's largest LNG exporter, and producers like Venture Global benefit from demand for alternative supply.