The State of Qatar participated in the 7th LNG Producer – Consumer Conference 2018 held in Nagoya City, Japan this week. Dr Mohammad Bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, headed the country’s delegation.

LNG Conference in JapanIn his speech during the opening ceremony, Dr Al Sada said that gas remains the fastest-growing fossil fuel in the global energy mix and the growth rate of LNG has surpassed all other sources of energy.

Dr Al Sada stressed that the second wave of LNG production, led by the addition of four world-class LNG trains in Qatar, aside from the upcoming substantial producing facilities in the USA, Mozambique, Canada and other countries, will further boost international LNG trade. He said that the growing LNG trade was a second revolution of natural gas, and a natural evolution to meet the rising need for cleaner energy, delivered at the doorstep of consumers around the world.

The Minister added that by year 2040, LNG is expected to exceed the volumes of natural gas delivered by pipeline and will make up the bulk of gas trades for the first time.

Qatar, with its 77 million tonnes for export, is the biggest LNG supplier in the world, accounting for nearly one fourth of the global LNG trade. In 2017, HH the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, instructed to increase LNG production by 43% from the current 77 to 110 million tonnes per annum. This production is planned to commence by 2024, largely contributing to global efforts and bridge the gap between supply and demand for LNG, which is expected to emerge starting from mid 2020s due to demand growth.

Dr Al Sada emphasised that Qatar placed its relationship with its customers on top of its priority list. He said that despite the blockade by its neighbours, Qatar had not missed out a single shipment to its valued customers worldwide.

Dr Al Sada also met with Dan Brouillette, US Deputy Secretary of Energy, on the sidelines of the conference. They discussed matters of common interest in the field of energy. He also met with Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director and discussed the latest developments in the oil and gas markets.

The LNG Producer-Consumer Conference is a global annual forum, providing an opportunity to promote active dialogue among LNG producers, consumers and other stakeholders with a view to deepening shared understandings of market trends and developing the global LNG market.