Beyond the moratorium – Qatar's quest for diversification

Qatar has boomed on the back of its gas riches: an oft-discussed tale of ‘sleepy backwater’ transformed into ‘economic powerhouse’ by the discovery and development of the giant North Field. The facts, although well worn, remain staggering. Boasting 77 mtpa of LNG production across 14 trains to meet a third of total global LNG exports, it has supplied visual_editor6 of the visual_editor9 gas-importing nations. A moratorium was declared on the North Field in visual_editor005 to allow the long-term health of the reservoir to be assessed. Barzan, the last scheme approved before the hiatus, is due onstream later this year. But in recent years, Qatar has tried to lessen its reliance on hydrocarbons revenues by pursuing a strategy of economic diversification. Gas Strategies takes a look at how the gas goliath is progressing.