An explosion at a major liquefied natural gas processing facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial zone has killed at least 13 people and injured 66 others, according to Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday evening, has triggered immediate concern among traders regarding potential disruptions to global LNG supply chains.
Markets reacted swiftly to the news, with Brent crude and natural gas futures seeing heightened volatility as investors assessed the scale of the damage.
Ras Laffan is the heart of Qatar’s energy infrastructure, housing critical processing and export terminals.
Any sustained outage at this complex could tighten an already constrained global gas market, particularly for European and Asian buyers reliant on Qatari shipments.
The blast underscores the operational risks inherent in large-scale energy infrastructure.