qatar C apitalising on the high global demand for LNG, Qatar is looking to double its production capacity in the next few years. Its commitment to refocus on gas production and tap into the LNG export market was cited as a reason for quitting OPEC in January 2019 after 57 years as a member. Oil production has declined over the past few years, standing at around 580,000 bpd of crude on average in Q1 2024. Al-Shaheen development However, Qatar is working to expand oil production at its largest offshore field, Al- Shaheen. In January this year, aiming to advance the third phase of its development, QatarEnergy announced US$6.2bn in contract awards. The EPCI contract packages are expected to boost production by around 100,000 bpd. The third development phase of the Al- Shaheen initiative marks the North Oil Image Credit: Adobe Stock Qatar is focusing on LNG expansion, with the aim of achieving production capacity of 142mn tons per annum by the end of the decade. Madhurima Sengupta reports. Maximising value from rich HYDROCARBON RESOURCES 9 ISSUE 5 2024 | oilreviewmiddleeast.com Qatar’s LNG expansion projects are designed to help meet growing demand for cleaner energy.