Explosion in Qatar's natural gas terminal leaves 54 injured

Representational image

An explosion ripped through Qatar’s major natural gas export hub on Sunday night as workers attempted to restore operations following damage caused by Iranian strikes during the recent conflict. The blast triggered a large fire, injuring at least 54 people, while 18 others remained missing several hours later.

The incident at the Ras Laffan industrial complex threatens to add further volatility to global energy markets. Qatar, one of the world’s leading natural gas exporters, had suspended production after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz prevented shipments from reaching international customers.

As tensions eased and negotiations progressed toward a lasting ceasefire, Qatar began efforts to restart its export infrastructure. According to state-owned QatarEnergy, those restoration activities led to an explosion and fire at the Barzan gas processing facility on Sunday evening.

Authorities have yet to determine the full extent of the damage. Initial reports suggested only a small number of injuries, but Qatar’s Interior Ministry later released significantly higher casualty figures.

The Barzan facility is capable of producing nearly 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day. Its output is primarily used to generate electricity and support water desalination plants that are critical to life across the Arabian Peninsula.

Qatar holds the vast majority ownership of the facility, while a minority stake is owned by ExxonMobil. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. — Agencies