Qatar Reports Extensive Damage at World’s Largest LNG Plant

By Ruth Liao and Sherif Tarek (Bloomberg) — A Qatari complex housing the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant suffered “extensive damage” after a missile strike, hours after Iran threatened energy facilities across the Persian Gulf. 

The Ras Laffan Industrial City was hit by an Iranian missile after four others were intercepted, authorities said late Wednesday. The site hosts facilities including the LNG plant, which typically accounts for about a fifth of global supply. Production there was already halted after an Iranian drone attack earlier this month.

MiEntropy’s “Star of the Day” is back once again. This time, attention turns to Qatar, where reports point to fires at the world’s largest gas-to-liquids complex, Shell Pearl GTL, as well as the Ras Laffan condensate refinery operated by QatarEnergy, following suspected Iranian… pic.twitter.com/5LkCIRkF2o

— MizarVision (@MizarVision) March 18, 2026

The incident marks yet another escalation in hostilities in the region and follows a string of attacks targeting oil and gas infrastructure in recent days. Crude and natural gas prices surged earlier in the day after Israel attacked Iran’s giant South Pars gas field. Iran responded with a warning that several energy sites in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates had become “legitimate targets.” 

State-controlled QatarEnergy said all personnel were accounted for at its LNG facility, which had been evacuated hours earlier. Qatar’s interior ministry said the fire caused by the strike was under control. 

Qatar “considers this aggression a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the state’s sovereignty, as well as a direct threat to its national security and the stability of the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a social media post. It later ordered Iranian military and security attaches as well as affiliate staff to leave the country within 24 hours.

The Saudi Defense Ministry also said the country had thwarted a drone attack targeting a gas facility in its eastern region. In a separate incident, shrapnel from a ballistic missile fell near a south Riyadh refinery.

Brent oil futures extended gains after the Wednesday close in London, rising as much as 8% to $111.90 a barrel.

Statement | Qatar Condemns, Denounces Blatant Iranian Attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City

Doha | March 18, 2026

The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Iranian attack targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City, which caused fires… pic.twitter.com/OfQlbrU9jv

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 18, 2026

Ras Laffan Industrial City covers 295 square kilometers in area (114 square miles), about one-third the size of New York City. As well as LNG processing, it’s also home to other gas-related facilities, including a gas-to-liquids plant, LNG storage, and condensate splitters and other gas-related facilities, as well as an oil refinery.

The site was effectively cut off from the rest of the world by the throttling of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following US and Israeli attacks on Iran. The shutdown of the Ras Laffan LNG facility led Qatargas to declare force majeure on deliveries, throwing the global LNG market into turmoil and sending buyers scrambling for alternative supplies.

The market impact has been particularly severe in Asia and Europe, as both regions rely on imported gas for power generation. The latest attacks have raised questions about how long supply will be impacted even once the strait reopens. 

“It’s now hard to see Qataris coming back to the market before the middle of the year and even that is ambitious,” said Ira Joseph, global fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.

Shell Plc, which has interests in some of Ras Laffan’s gas and LNG infrastructure, said it’s assessing any potential impact from the attack.

© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

Editorial Standards · Corrections · About gCaptain

This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license.

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 107,352 members