Qatar Energy begins liquefied natural gas production in the United States; Lash Industrial Zone attack continues to impact

The Golden Pass liquefied natural gas project, jointly established by QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil, has achieved first liquefied natural gas production on its first liquefaction train. This marks that, against the backdrop of a global energy crisis sparked by the conflict in Iran, the facility is transitioning from an import terminal into a major export hub.

The project is located in Sabine Pass, Texas. It will have three production trains in total, and after full commissioning, its nominal annual capacity will be approximately 18 million tons. This massive project is part of QatarEnergy’s broader strategy of investing $20 billion in the U.S. energy sector, while also serving as a key step in expanding the company’s global LNG investment portfolio as it advances the expansion of its North Field project in Qatar.

Previously, the Golden Pass LNG project faced construction delays and cost overruns, and its final cost exceeded $10 billion—about $2 billion higher than the budget. The project suffered a major setback in 2024: the main contractor filed for bankruptcy, leading to layoffs of thousands of workers, until a new contractor took over and resumed work. The other two production trains are expected to come online by the end of 2026 and in 2027.

As the facility begins production, the LNG industry in Qatar is facing a serious crisis. Earlier, in March 2026, Iran attacked Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, damaging critical infrastructure. The attack dealt a blow to Qatar’s capacity to export LNG through its key hubs. Repairs to the affected production lines are expected to take three to five years. As a result, Qatar could potentially lose up to $20 billion in annual revenue, and its Asian and European customers will also feel the pressure caused by reduced supply.

In addition to the Golden Pass LNG project, the U.S. currently has multiple other large LNG export terminals under construction, including Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG facility in Louisiana; Cheniere Energy (NYSE ticker: LNG)’s Corpus Christi LNG Phase 3 project in Texas; NextDecade Corp. (Nasdaq ticker: NEXT)’s Rio Grande LNG project in Texas; Sempra (NYSE ticker: SRE)’s Port Arthur LNG project in Texas; Venture Global’s CP2 LNG project in Louisiana; and Woodside Energy (NYSE ticker: WDS)’s Woodside Route LNG project in Louisiana (i.e., the Driftwood LNG project originally held under Tellurian).

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