News Release

Qatari LNG outage shifts global gas market into structural deficit

Delayed Qatari capacity recovery is forecast to reshape LNG trade flows and energy security strategies worldwide

byJon Haubert

CALGARY, Alberta (May 20, 2026) — Enverus Intelligence® Research (EIR), a subsidiary of Enverus, the leading energy data analytics platform, has released its latest report, Global Gas and LNG | Qatari Outage Fixes Oversupply, examining the long-term implications of the Qatar LNG outage and confirming the damage to roughly 17% of Qatar’s export capacity.

EIR’s forecast indicates the global LNG market will move into a supply deficit of approximately 8 Bcf/d in 2026, with shortages persisting through the end of the decade as Qatari capacity recovery and expansion projects are delayed.

According to EIR, the removal of low-cost Qatari LNG from global markets creates sustained competition between Europe and Asia for spot cargoes while reinforcing the strategic advantage of Pacific-facing LNG export projects in Canada and Mexico. The report also concludes that Asian markets with significant coal-switching flexibility are better positioned to absorb supply disruptions than markets lacking fuel-switching alternatives.

“The outage materially alters the global LNG balance by removing a significant source of low-cost supply during a period when export capacity elsewhere is already largely utilized. The resulting competition for marginal LNG cargoes is expected to keep global natural gas prices elevated while increasing the strategic value of supply diversification and Pacific-facing export infrastructure,” said Josephine Mills, report author and senior analyst at Enverus Intelligence Research.

Key takeaways:

  • EIR forecasts a global gas supply shortage of approximately 8 Bcf/d in 2026, reversing its prior expectation for near-market balance.
  • Roughly 2 Bcf/d of Qatari LNG export capacity is expected to remain offline until closer to 2030 because of lasting facility damage.
  • Asian countries with significant spare coal-fired generation capacity, including India, Japan and South Korea, are expected to absorb part of the LNG shortfall through fuel switching.
  • Pacific-facing LNG projects, including LNG Canada Phase 2 and Ksi Lisims LNG, a proposed $10-billion-plus, Indigenous-led floating LNG export facility on British Columbia’s northwest coast, may benefit from increased buyer focus on supply-chain security and shipping-route diversification.

EIR’s analysis pulls from a variety of products including Enverus ONE®.

You must be an Enverus Intelligence® subscriber to access this report.

About Enverus Intelligence® Research
Enverus Intelligence ® | Research, Inc. (EIR) is a subsidiary of Enverus that publishes energy-sector research focused on the oil, natural gas, power and renewable industries. EIR publishes reports including asset and company valuations, resource assessments, technical evaluations and macro-economic forecasts; and helps make intelligent connections for energy industry participants, service companies and capital providers worldwide. Enverus is the most trusted, energy-dedicated SaaS company, with a platform built to create value from generative AI, offering real-time access to analytics, insights and benchmark cost and revenue data sourced from our partnerships to 95% of U.S. energy producers, and more than 40,000 suppliers. Learn more at Enverus.com.

Picture of Jon Haubert

Jon Haubert

Jon Haubert is the communications director at Enverus. Members of the media should use our Request Media Interview option on the Enverus Newsroom page to schedule an interview with one of our expert analysts.

Related News

Qatari LNG outage shifts global gas market into structural deficit
News Release
ByJon Haubert

Qatari LNG supply disruptions could shift global gas markets into a structural deficit through 2030, with elevated TTF and JKM pricing, intensified Europe-Asia LNG competition and increased strategic value for Pacific-facing export projects, according to Enverus Intelligence® Research.

U.S. electrification will add 24 GW of power load by 2035
News Release
ByJon Haubert

U.S. electrification will add ~24 GW of power load by 2035, led by industrial demand and heating transitions, with growth concentrated in PJM, MISO and NYISO, according to Enverus.

U.S. upstream M&A hits $38 billion in 1Q26 before volatility temporarily pauses the market
News Release
ByJon Haubert

U.S. upstream M&A reached $38 billion in 1Q26 before volatility slowed activity, with Enverus Intelligence® Research expecting higher oil prices to drive a rebound. The outlook points to increased private sales, continued corporate consolidation and sustained influence from international and...

EIR maintains higher for longer oil outlook as markets catch up
News Release
ByJon Haubert

Enverus Intelligence® Research maintains its higher-for-longer oil outlook, holding its $95/bbl Brent forecast for 2026 and $100/bbl for 2027 as markets begin to align with its earlier call. The latest Fundamental Edge report highlights ongoing geopolitical risk and supply disruption...

EVOLVE 2026 Taking insight to execution in seconds with Enverus ONE®
News Release
ByJon Haubert

EVOLVE 2026 brought energy leaders to Houston to explore how Enverus ONE® uses AI to move from insight to execution. The conference showcased unified data, research and workflows across the energy value chain.

Continental Resources, BPX Energy, Chord Energy and Ranger Energy Services Team with Enverus to Build Field Safety Platform on Enverus ONE™
News Release
ByJon Haubert

Continental Resources, BPX Energy, Chord Energy and Ranger Energy Services are partnering with Enverus to develop LifeSaver, a field safety platform on Enverus ONE designed to deliver job-specific guidance at the point of work, with pilots planned during 2026.

Enverus and Xpansiv broaden partnership to deliver a unified price discovery platform across energy
News Release
ByJon Haubert

An expanded partnership between Enverus and Xpansiv brings spot exchange transactions and forward OTC pricing into MarketView, giving trading and risk teams a single, authoritative view of price formation across energy and environmental markets.

Shell strikes C$22 billion deal for Arc Resources
Analyst Takes Newsroom Topics
ByAndrew Dittmar

Shell’s $22 billion acquisition of Arc Resources vaults the supermajor into a leading Montney position and underscores Canada’s strategic importance in global LNG and integrated gas growth.

Data Center Sites Unseen 2026 Parcel Update
News Release
ByJon Haubert

Where are data center developers quietly assembling land? Enverus maps 136,000 buildable acres and 272 GW of Lower 48 capacity potential across major ISOs.

Find Out How Enverus Can Help Your Business

Subscribe to the Energy Blog

A weekly update on the latest “no-fluff” insight and analysis of the energy industry.

Let’s get started!

We’ll follow up right away to show you a quick product tour.

Let’s get started!

We’ll follow up right away to show you a quick product tour.

Get Started

Sign up for our Blog

Ready to Subscribe?

Ready to Get Started?

Ready to Subscribe?

Sign Up

Power Your Insights