A gas platform explosion off the coast of Qatar has left 13 workers dead and a further 17 injured, according to state media. The incident occurred at the North Field, the world’s largest natural gas reservoir, which is jointly operated by QatarEnergy and international partners including ExxonMobil and Shell. British engineers from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) were on site at the time, conducting a scheduled audit of safety standards for platforms with UK-linked operations.
The blast, described by officials as a “catastrophic equipment failure”, ripped through the platform’s processing module at approximately 10:30 local time. Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of 13 workers, while 17 others have been hospitalised, some with severe burns. The nationality of the victims has not yet been confirmed, though the workforce includes expatriates from South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
QatarEnergy has suspended production at the affected field, which accounts for roughly a third of the country’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) output. The company said an investigation is underway, and that the platform was “fully compliant” with international safety standards prior to the explosion. However, the presence of the HSE team has raised questions about the adequacy of those standards, particularly for platforms linked to UK energy companies.
The UK’s Foreign Office confirmed that a small team of British safety inspectors was on the platform as part of a bilateral agreement to benchmark practices. A spokesperson said the team was “unharmed” and is now assisting local authorities in the investigation. The incident is expected to delay several UK-Qatar joint LNG projects, including a planned expansion of the North Field that would provide gas to British markets by 2026.
Energy analysts have noted the strategic significance of the North Field, which holds more than 900 trillion cubic feet of gas. Qatar is one of the world’s top LNG exporters, and the UK relies on Qatari supplies for nearly 15% of its gas imports. Any prolonged shutdown could tighten global LNG markets, particularly as Europe seeks to reduce dependence on Russian gas.
The shock announcement sent benchmark gas prices up by 4 per cent in early trading, though they later stabilised. The Qatari government has vowed to resume “safe operations as soon as possible”, but has not provided a timeline. Meanwhile, families of the deceased await identification of their loved ones. The full report on the HSE’s findings is expected within weeks.
