“Qatar, the world’s largest LNG producer, buys LNG from the United States.”

Reuters reported on the 29th (local time) that Qatar, one of the world's largest producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is purchasing LNG directly from the United States and other countries amid the prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war in the Middle East.

According to reports, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar's Minister of Energy and CEO of state-run Qatar Energy, said that the company is purchasing long-term LNG supplies from external suppliers, including the United States, as part of a risk diversification (hedging) strategy in preparation for export disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.

By securing gas produced overseas in advance, the company plans to supply gas to the international market through third-country supplies and make profits from the sharply increased price even if the Strait of Hormuz, a major export route, is blocked due to the expansion of war in the Middle East.

Minister Alkabi explained, “If the real emergency situation we are preparing for occurs, gas prices will immediately surge,” adding, “In this case, Qatar Energy will be able to protect against national losses by generating additional revenue that it would not normally have been able to obtain.”

Reuters commented on Minister al-Kaabi's remarks, saying, "This is the first time Qatar has revealed a plan for how it will offset the loss of revenue caused by the war with Iran and protect national revenues from future logistics disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz."