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Hormuz transit at 17 vessels versus pre-crisis 125, Qatar LNG expansion faces equipment delays
QatarEnergy warns strait disruption is delaying North Field buildout equipment deliveries as crossings remain constrained.
Transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained at 17 vessels over the weekend, compared with a pre-crisis daily average of 125 vessels, according to traffic data reported by Enterprise. The gap persists despite a US military assessment citing higher oil movement through the waterway over a two-month period.
Equipment delays reach Qatar LNG expansion#
QatarEnergy CEO Saad Al Kaabi stated that equipment required for the company's North Field expansion is facing delivery delays tied to the strait crisis, Enterprise reported. The North Field project aims to increase Qatar's liquefied natural gas capacity from approximately 77 million tonnes per annum to 142 mtpa. North Field East's first train is scheduled to begin production in the first half of 2027, with additional trains due later that year, while North Field South is slated for 2028. Al Kaabi said QatarEnergy is currently producing a minimal volume of LNG, with two of Ras Laffan's 14 LNG trains offline since earlier strikes removed around 12.8 mtpa of capacity for an expected three to five years.
QatarEnergy secures US supply to cover commitments#
The company is in discussions with US suppliers including Venture Global, Cheniere and Woodside Energy for approximately 2 to 3 million tons of LNG annually through 2031 to meet customer obligations, Enterprise reported. Constrained Hormuz crossings and ship-to-ship transfers outside the strait have maintained some Qatari cargo movement. The equipment bottleneck now affects not only current export logistics but also the timeline for bringing future North Field capacity online.
India consultancy in early talks on Gulf bypass infrastructure#
State-run Engineers India Ltd is in preliminary discussions with Saudi Arabia and the UAE for consultancy and engineering work on approximately USD 1 billion of pipelines, storage facilities and export terminals designed to reduce reliance on Hormuz, The Hindu reported, citing chairman Atul Gupta. Saudi Arabia separately aims to restore about half the capacity of its East-West pipeline within days following recent drone strikes, with full repairs expected to take five to six weeks, according to Enterprise. The pipeline serves as the Kingdom's primary crude export alternative to the strait.
Sources2 sources across 2 domains
- enterpriseam.comEnterprise17 vessels crossed Hormuz over the weekend versus pre-crisis daily average of 125; QatarEnergy CEO Al Kaabi statement on equipment delays and production constraints; EIL consultancy talks; Saudi East-West pipeline restoration timeline
- bloomberg.comBloombergHormuz flows easing oil market concerns
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Transits, closures, advisories, war risk premia and rerouting cost for Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and Suez. Same day, same shape, always numbers.