Qatar Is the “Wild Card” in LNG Markets

Qatar is planning major new LNG exports, but most of these volumes are not yet tied to long-term contracts — meaning a lot of this gas could hit the market on a spot or short-term basis.

Traditionally, Qatar has favored long-term, oil-indexed deals, especially with Asian buyers. That approach helped stabilize pricing and kept export volumes predictable.

But as the market becomes crowded with supply from many producers — especially the US — Qatar now faces a strategic choice that could shape prices and investment decisions worldwide.

We will follow up the IGU LNG Conference in 2026 in Qatar and we may have further topics to discuss in 2027 as well!.

This topic may also be extended to cover related developments and themes anticipated for 2027, and is therefore welcomed within the upcoming Call For Abstracts.

Some questions of the Gas Markets

• Supply could outpace demand in the late 2020s, especially if all planned LNG capacity comes online as expected.• Pricing dynamics may shift— flexible contracts and spot trading could become more common. • Long-term deals still matter, especially for buyers seeking energy security and price stability.• The evolution of low-emission gases (like biomethane or hydrogen blends) will continue, but they remain a small share of total gas supply through 2030. 

What we Keep an Eye On

• How Qatar handles its uncontracted LNG volumes – that choice could tilt global prices up or down.• Contract flexibility trends – more flexible deals could invite new buyers but also add volatility.• US vs Qatar competition – with both countries pushing new LNG capacity, market dynamics will be fluid.• Demand growth in Asia and the Middle East – these regions are expected to lead future gas consumption.

All in all, we will have so much to talk about in 2027!