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Qatar’s state-owned energy company, QatarEnergy, has purchased 33 spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from the United States as the persistent Strait of Hormuz crisis threatens gas supplies exported to customers in South Korea, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh and Japan.
According to Reuters, the company purchased the energy supplies after the declaration of force majeure on its liquefied natural gas shipments followed by Iran’s closure of Hormuz.
In the Middle East, the strategically important strait of Hormuz holds a significant importance as 20 percent of global oil and gas supplies pass through the waterway from major Gulf producers.
The purchase of 33 cargoes, valued at $1 billion, are estimated to be equivalent to one-third of QatarEnergy’s monthly LNG exports prior to the US-Israel war on Iran.
In 2025, the company purchased only four spot LNG cargoes. To protect its decades-long reputation as a reliable energy supplier, the firm stepped up the purchases of US spot LNG in 2026 so they can redirect ships to key Asian markets.
According to data analytics firm Kpler, 28 of the 33 cargoes have already been delivered, while the remaining five are currently en route to South Korea, Taiwan and India.
According to industry sources, the initiative is a gesture of good faith to protect the customers from energy disruptions. Neither QE nor Venture Global responded to requests for comment.
