An explosion and fire at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City has injured 54 people and left 18 others missing, according to local reports.
The incident occurred during start-up operations at the Barzan liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing complex, one of the world’s most critical energy infrastructure sites.
Emergency services have launched a major response effort at the facility.
Global LNG markets reacted swiftly to the news, with spot prices jumping on fears of a potential supply disruption from Qatar, the world’s top LNG exporter.
Brent crude also saw upward pressure as traders assessed the broader risk to Gulf energy infrastructure.
The immediate market focus is on whether the blast has caused lasting damage to the Barzan train or if operations can be resumed quickly.