Global Trade
June 22, 2026
Blast at Qatar LNG plant kills 13
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
An explosion at Qatar’s largest natural gas facility has killed 13 people and injured 66.
A liquified natural gas (LNG) processing site suffered a “technical accident” in the Ras Laffan industrial zone on Sunday night, according to the BBC, citing the interior ministry.
Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said the explosion would not affect the country’s exports, adding “this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature.”
The energy minister said it would be difficult to determine when operations would resume, BBC reported.
It’s the latest incident at the site, which has sustained extensive damage during the Iran war.
Ras Laffan is home to the world’s largest LNG export facility, producing about one-fifth of global supply.
In March, QatarEnergy declared a force majeure following targeted attacks by Iranian missiles and drones. The shutdown cut the energy supply needed to run Qatalum aluminum smelter in Doha. The smelter is operating at about 60% of its nameplate capacity. Qatalum is a joint venture between Norsk Hydro and Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company, with a nameplate capacity of 636,000 metric tons and casthouse capacity of 664,000 metric tons.
