Qatar eyes more long-term gas supply deals this year [Video]

Qatar expects to sign more long-term natural gas supply deals this year to meet growing international demand, Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi said on Wednesday.

The minister, who is also chief executive of QatarEnergy, said the state-owned giant had secured sales of 25 million tonnes of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the past year and expected to be “signing more this year.”

“It’s just agreeing on terms and conditions and pricing… but I think there’s a huge demand out there, whether it’s from Asia or Europe,” Kaabi told the Qatar Economic Forum.

“I think even Europe is realising now they have to do something different to secure long term,” he added.

Qatar is one of the world’s top LNG producers alongside the United States, Australia and Russia.

Asian countries led by China, Japan and South Korea have been the main market for Qatari gas, but demand from European countries has grown …