Explosion took place on Sunday night at the Ras Laffan industrial area
At least 13 people, including 12 Indians, were killed and 66 others injured, after an explosion at Qatar’s key gas processing facility in Ras Laffan, officials said on Monday.Earlier, Qatar’s energy Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi described the blast as an industrial accident and said an investigation into the cause had begun. He ruled out sabotage or aggression, saying the incident at the Barzan gas supply facility was accidental.“I find myself today having to do something I have always hoped will never happen, and that is to announce, the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities. 66 people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition,” al-Kaabi said, as quoted by news agency AFP.The explosion took place on Sunday night at the Ras Laffan industrial area, where Qatar was attempting to restart operations after production disruptions linked to the recent conflict in the region.
Indian embassy reaches out after casualties involving nationals
The embassy of India in Doha on Monday expressed concern over the incident and said it was in touch with the situation.“Embassy of India, Doha expresses deep concern at the unfortunate incident that occurred at the Ras Laffan Industrial City yesterday, in which several people got injured and some are missing as per authorities,” the embassy said in a post.Offering support to those affected, the embassy said, “At this challenging and difficult time, the Embassy of India and the entire Indian community in Qatar stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar.”It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured and prayed for the safety of those missing.The embassy shared helpline numbers and an email address for Indians seeking assistance: +974-55647502, +974-55384683 and cons.doha@mea.gov.in.
Qatar assesses damage, assures energy supplies
The energy minister said assessing the damage at the affected facility would take time and that the timeline for restarting operations remained unclear.“Resumption of operations at affected factory is difficult to determine now,” al-Kaabi said, according to Reuters.However, he assured that the incident would not affect Qatar’s export capabilities or domestic energy requirements.“We have enough gas for domestic consumption, until we do repairs we can cover,” he said, adding that the blast had not impacted the country’s export capacity.The Barzan gas plant has a production capacity of nearly 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day and is mainly used to support Qatar’s domestic electricity generation and water desalination facilities.
Blast comes after earlier Iran-linked disruption
The explosion occurred as Qatar was working to resume operations after its energy infrastructure faced disruption during the recent conflict involving Iran.Qatar had halted production after Iran’s actions around the Strait of Hormuz affected the movement of energy shipments.As negotiations continued over a possible long-term resolution, Qatar began efforts to restart its export operations.The Barzan facility had earlier suffered damage after an Iranian missile struck the Ras Laffan industrial area in March, triggering a fire that authorities later brought under control.QatarEnergy, the state-run energy company, said the latest explosion and fire occurred at the Barzan gas supply facility.
Impact on global energy markets
The incident has raised concerns over possible disruption in global energy markets as Qatar remains one of the world’s largest natural gas producers and a major exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG).Qatar’s vast offshore natural gas reserves, shared with Iran in the Persian Gulf, have transformed the country into a major global energy player.Revenues from gas exports have also supported Qatar’s international influence, including its role as a mediator in diplomatic efforts.Despite concerns, al-Kaabi maintained that the accident would not affect Qatar’s LNG exports or domestic requirements.“The incident will not affect anything regarding exports or local requirements,” he said.
