Qatar curtails budget by 30% as LNG revenues collapse
The Qatari government has ordered ministries to cut their budgets by up to 30% and slash overseas aid after LNG revenues collapsed. The 2026 state budget had been set at $61 billion at the start of the year, but since then, Qatar’s LNG-dependent economy has been hit hard by war-related damage to its Ras Laffan LNG hub and persistent shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
China seeks more US oil, may lift tariff on LNG
China wants to buy more American oil and may lift its 25% tariff on US LNG imports as “energy is the one thing they really need,” President Donald Trump told Fox News. Beijing could unilaterally approve the resumption of US LNG imports, but the country has proven resilient to Qatari supply disruptions in the third month of the Middle East conflict.
Disruptions to Qatari LNG may ease by end-April
QatarEnergies is working towards restarting some LNG trains at Ras Laffan, as shipping disruptions are anticipated to ease by the end of April. If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed until July or beyond, however, analysts reckon prices at the Dutch TTF gas trading hub would need to rise to well above 2022-levels for Europe be able to refill storages.
Thai energy regulator braces for LNG price surge
Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is stepping up efforts to mitigate risks posed by disrupted LNG trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Nearly two-thirds of Thailand’s electricity comes from gas-fired power stations which largely depend on imported LNG, making them vulnerable to supply shortages and geopolitical risk.
