The Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, has announced the death of 13 workers following an accidental incident at the Barzan Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant on 21 June
During a press conference held on Monday at the headquarters of QatarEnergy, His Excellency confirmed that the explosion and fire at the Barzan LNG Plant was an 'accidental incident' and was not linked to sabotage or any deliberate act of wrongdoing.
He said the relevant authorities have begun a comprehensive investigation to identify the causes behind the incident.
Al Kaabi confirmed that the deceased workers were from India and Pakistan. He added that among the 66 people injured were citizens and residents from Qatar, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria and Nepal. None of those injured were reported to be in life-threatening condition.
The Minister said the explosion occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. inside the facility, which is operated by QatarEnergy to supply natural gas for domestic requirements. The plant had been temporarily shut down since December 2025 for essential maintenance and repair activities and had resumed operations only two days before the incident.
Emergency response teams from QatarEnergy, working alongside Civil Defense authorities, successfully brought the fire under control and extinguished it, Al Kaabi said.
He expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to their colleagues, while wishing a quick recovery to the injured. He also confirmed that QatarEnergy is providing all necessary support to those affected by the incident.
Al Kaabi stated that QatarEnergy’s LNG facilities, Ras Laffan Port and all logistics operations associated with the energy sector were not impacted by the incident. He confirmed that LNG production and export activities continue as normal.
He further stressed that there are no environmental concerns or risks of hazardous material leakage resulting from the fire. The relevant authorities have monitored the situation since the incident occurred and have not identified any environmental threats requiring action.
Addressing media questions, the Minister said the immediate priorities are to continue monitoring the condition of the victims and injured workers, while completing technical investigations to establish the causes of the incident.
He explained that it remains too early to determine the extent of material damage or associated financial losses, as assessments and investigations are still ongoing.
Regarding the potential impact of the plant shutdown on domestic gas supplies, Al Kaabi noted that while the facility is an important source of natural gas for local industrial sectors, including petrochemicals and fertilisers, Qatar has reserve capacity and alternative operational measures in place to ensure uninterrupted supply.
He confirmed that the incident has not affected LNG exports or Qatar’s contractual commitments to international customers, with production and export operations at other facilities continuing without disruption.
On the timeline for the plant’s return to full operations, Al Kaabi said it was premature to provide a specific timeframe. He explained that the schedule would depend on the findings of the technical investigation and the completion of detailed damage assessments by engineering and maintenance teams once they access the affected area.
The Minister also confirmed that the incident would not affect Qatar’s future energy sector plans, stating that expansion projects and strategic initiatives remain on schedule.
Discussing safety measures, Al Kaabi highlighted that industrial facilities across Qatar operate under strict occupational safety and security regulations. He said the ongoing investigation would examine all possible causes, including human error, technical issues, equipment failures and other operational factors.
He added that the investigation findings would help determine the exact causes of the incident and support the implementation of corrective measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. He reaffirmed that Qatar’s energy sector follows the highest internationally recognised safety standards.
Concluding the press conference, Al Kaabi reiterated QatarEnergy’s commitment to transparency throughout the investigation process. He said the findings would be made public once the investigation is completed, while the company continues to provide care and assistance to the injured workers and the families of those who lost their lives.
