Qatar is aggressively expanding its liquefied natural gas (LNG) trading and production to seize profits previously lost to global traders, as QatarEnergy aims to dominate the global energy market.

A Bloomberg report quoting Saad Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Energy Minister and QatarEnergy’s CEO, at the Qatar Economic Forum said the company’s trading unit, established a few years ago, currently handles 10 million tonnes of LNG annually, with over half from non-Qatari sources.

By 2030, the goal is to trade 30-40 million tonnes of non-Qatari LNG, capitalising on market volatility and rising global demand.

Al-Kaabi noted that international traders were reselling Qatar’s cargoes for profit, prompting the creation of a trading arm to retain those earnings.

"What we saw is that there was money left on the table," Al-Kaabi said. Traders from around the world "would buy our cargoes and make money off it. And we have the capability and can actually establish a trading organisation and we did."

Qatar, the world’s second-largest LNG producer, is also increasing its output from 77 million to 160 million tonnes, with contributions from the North Field East project by mid-2026 and a US venture.

To support this, QatarEnergy will grow its fleet from 70 to 198 ships.

With global energy needs surging due to population growth and artificial intelligence, Al-Kaabi is confident in strong demand, particularly in Asia, and sees no risk of a supply glut.

QatarEnergy is negotiating sales with buyers in China, India, and beyond, aiming to secure long-term and spot market deals.

This strategic expansion ensures Qatar maximises profits while meeting the world’s escalating energy demands.