Explosion at Qatar LNG Facility Injures 54, 18 Reported Missing

An explosion rocked a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing facility in Ras Laffan, Qatar, on Sunday local time. At least 54 people were injured and 18 others were reported missing following the blast.

Operator QatarEnergy, as reported by Reuters and Al Arabiya on Monday, said an incident during the start-up of operations at the Ras Laffan Industrial City led to an explosion and fire at the Barzan local gas supply facility on Sunday evening. Emergency response teams were deployed to extinguish the fire, which QatarEnergy said is now under control.

In a separate statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Interior reported that 54 people were injured in the incident. Rescue teams are searching for 18 people reported missing as a result of the incident. The exact cause of the explosion is not yet known. However, in its statement, the Ministry of Interior described the blast as a ‘technical accident’ and stated there is no threat to public safety. QatarEnergy also did not indicate whether the explosion caused damage to the facility, which supplies gas to the domestic market.

An eyewitness earlier told Reuters that a loud explosion was heard in the capital Doha, located south of the gas facility in Ras Laffan. The Barzan gas facility affected by the incident has a production capacity of up to 1.4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) and supplies gas via pipeline to local industries and Qatar’s power generation sector. The facility also has the capacity to produce ethane, condensate, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and sulphur for both the domestic and export markets. The plant is located in Ras Laffan Industrial City, which is QatarEnergy’s primary site for LNG production and export, boasting a total capacity of 77 million metric tonnes per year through 14 trains.