In brief
A blast on Sunday night at Qatar’s biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility claimed 13 lives and injured 66 workers, all from India and Pakistan. Energy Minister Saad Sherida al‑Kaabi ruled out sabotage, insisting the plant’s output would not be disrupted. The plant, which was recently restarted after a year‑long maintenance halt, had previously suffered damage from Iranian strikes amid the Israel‑Iran conflict. Investigations are underway while repairs may reduce LNG output by up to 12.8 million tonnes for several years. The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure amid geopolitical tensions.
At least 13 people have been killed and 66 injured after a massive explosion in Qatar’s biggest gas facility.
The blast hit the Barzan local gas supply unit inside the Ras Laffan LNG park, a complex that supplies 12% of the world’s natural gas.
Energy Minister Saad Sherida al‑Kaabi pledged that the incident was a “technical accident”, not related to foreign sabotage, and that Qatari LNG exports would remain steady.
Officials say the plant had been offline since December 2025 for maintenance, only restarting two days before the explosion. Investigations are underway to pinpoint the cause.
All 13 fatalities were workers from India and Pakistan, according to the Energy Minister, and the Indian Embassy in Doha offered condolences to families.
Ras Laffan had already suffered damage earlier in the year during Iranian strikes, the first of many after the Israel‑Iran military build‑up. Repairs are expected to reduce output by up to 12.8 MT of LNG for several years.
While the navy of Qatar have said the explosion poses no environmental risk, the incident underscores the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure amid geopolitical tensions.
Qatar continues to work with international partners to tighten safety protocols and restore full capacity at the plant.
