QatarEnergy Extends Force Majeure on Gas Cargoes Until End of December
QatarEnergy extended force majeure on LNG cargoes until the end of December and informed Edison of its inability to deliver three additional cargoes, while European gas jumped to 2022 levels.
State-owned QatarEnergy extended force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries until the end of the year, leaving Europe and Asia without confirmed contractual supply volumes ahead of winter.
Italian gas company Edison stated it received a notice from QatarEnergy confirming the extension of force majeure, active since April 2026, until the end of December, and that the company will not be able to deliver three additional cargoes at the Adriatic LNG terminal in Italy.
The extension also applied to gas buyers in Pakistan and Bangladesh until the end of the year, according to a source at Bangladeshi firm Petrobangla. The company's chairman, Abdul Mannan, said his country is trying to secure spot cargoes to bridge the gap, but at a high cost that elevates the import bill and strains its finances.
In Europe, gas prices on the Dutch TTF index, the benchmark for European gas trading, rose 1.5% to 97.53 euros per megawatt-hour, the highest level since the 2022 energy crisis. Pakistan expects to pay over $1 billion to secure winter supplies via ten spot cargoes at double the contracted price with Qatar.
What do these terms mean?
Force Majeure: A clause in a contract allowing a party to suspend performance due to circumstances beyond its control, such as war or natural disasters.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Gas cooled to a liquid state to reduce its volume and facilitate transport in specialized ships, then regasified upon arrival.
Spot Cargoes: Quantities of gas or oil bought on the spot market at floating prices, rather than committing to long-term contracts.
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