QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company of Qatar, has announced a new LNG expansion project that will increase its production capacity by 16 million tonnes per year (MTPA) by 2030. The project, named North Field West (NFW), will tap into the western sector of the North Field, the world’s largest single non-associated gas reservoir.
The NFW project is the result of extensive appraisal drilling and testing that confirmed the extension of the North Field’s productive layers towards the west, as well as the presence of huge additional gas reserves estimated at 240 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), which raised Qatar’s gas reserves from 1,760 to more than 2,000 Tcf. The condensate reserves also increased from 70 to more than 80 billion barrels.
The NFW project will add to the existing North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) projects, which are expected to raise Qatar’s LNG production capacity from the current 77 MTPA to 126 MTPA by 2026. The NFW project will further boost Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 142 MTPA by 2030, representing an increase of almost 85% from current levels. Qatar’s total hydrocarbon production will also exceed 7.25 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.
The NFW project will likely consist of two 8 MTPA mega trains, similar to the NFS project. QatarEnergy has commenced the basic engineering works for the NFW project and is expected to announce its partners soon. QatarEnergy has formed partnerships with industry giants such as China National Petroleum Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell, Sinopec and TotalEnergies for the NFE and NFS projects.
The NFW project demonstrates QatarEnergy’s ambition and confidence in the global LNG market, which is estimated to grow by more than 50% by 2040, driven by industrial coal-to-gas switching in China and rising LNG demand in South and Southeast Asia. Qatar is well-positioned to meet this demand growth with its low-cost and reliable LNG supply, as well as its strategic location that enables access to both Asian and European markets.
