Qatari authorities announced a severe explosion and fire inside Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub, causing at least 54 injuries and leaving 18 missing. The accident occurred during attempts to restart the system after the plant suffered heavy damage in the earlier US-Iran conflict.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior disclosed via the X platform today (22 June) that a powerful explosion occurred at a gas plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City in the north of the country on Sunday night local time. The incident resulted in a total of 54 injuries and 18 missing workers, with rescue teams urgently searching for those unaccounted for.
An AFP reporter located 20 kilometers from the site reported seeing large flames lighting up the night sky, accompanied by thick smoke billowing from the industrial area.
QatarEnergy, the state energy company, issued a statement saying the explosion and fire took place at the Barzan gas plant during the startup phase of Ras Laffan Industrial City. The Ministry of Interior described the incident as an "internal explosion" and later attributed it to a "technical fault."
Reports indicate that the Barzan plant has a gas production capacity of nearly 1.4 billion standard cubic feet per day. Qatar primarily uses this gas to generate electricity and to power desalination plants vital for life in the Arabian Peninsula. The project is mostly government-owned, with US-based ExxonMobil holding a stake. ExxonMobil has not yet commented on the incident.
This explosion happened as Qatar was attempting to restore the plant after Ras Laffan Industrial City was severely damaged by Iranian attacks during the US-Iran war. Iranian missiles and drones targeted energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf, leading Qatar to halt all gas production since 2 March due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which prevented gas exports.
However, as Iran began easing control over the Strait of Hormuz amid progress in permanent peace negotiations, Qatar started testing system restarts to prepare for resuming exports, but the explosion occurred before these plans could proceed.
Earlier in mid-March, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi estimated that the Iranian attacks would reduce Qatar’s LNG export capacity by 17%, with repairs taking 3 to 5 years. This recent explosion is expected to further disrupt and destabilize global energy markets, as Qatar is among the world’s largest LNG producers alongside the US, Australia, and Russia.
Qatar shares a vast offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf with Iran. Revenues from LNG have made Qatar one of the wealthiest countries and an influential global player, hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, founding the Al Jazeera news network, and serving as an international mediator, including facilitating ongoing US-Iran talks currently held in Switzerland.
.Associated Press/ AFP