Qatar’s North Field East Gas Expansion to Begin Output in Mid-2026QatarEnergy announced that its North Field East natural gas expansion project is set to commence production in mid-2026, according to Chief Executive Saad al-Kaabi. The statement, released on Tuesday, confirms the timeline for this significant development in Qatar’s energy sector.

QatarEnergy CEO and Qatar's Minister of Energy Saad al-Kaabi attends a signing ceremony with Sinopec, in Doha, Qatar, November 21, 2022.

In an earlier interview in late 2023, Kaabi indicated that production from the North Field expansion would start in 2026, with new processing units, or trains, becoming operational progressively every few months. While he did not specify an exact start date at the time, the recent announcement clarifies that output will begin in mid-2026.

The North Field expansion, managed by state-owned QatarEnergy, is a cornerstone of the country’s strategy to boost liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. The project aims to increase Qatar’s LNG output to 126 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) by 2027, a substantial rise from the current capacity of 77 mtpa. QatarEnergy has secured multiple supply agreements with partners in Europe and Asia to support this expansion, reflecting strong global demand for LNG.