QatarEnergy signed a 20-year agreement to buy up to 3 million tonnes per year of LNG on an FOB basis from Woodside’s Louisiana LNG project, its second U.S. offtake deal in about a week, with deliveries expected from 2030.
Published in Brief No. 5 · · Also on LinkedIn ↗
Reviewed by Georges C. Nama, Esq., licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas.
On October 29, 2026, QatarEnergy announced a long-term sale and purchase agreement with Woodside Energy (LA) Investments LLC for 3 MTPA of LNG from Louisiana LNG, which is under construction near Lake Charles. Woodside describes the volume as up to 3 MTPA. Deliveries are FOB, expected to begin in 2030, and run for 20 years. Supply starts when the project’s Train 2 comes online and rises to the full volume with Train 3. The three-train project is planned at 16.5 MTPA. QatarEnergy CEO Saad Al-Kaabi said the additional volumes make QatarEnergy the largest buyer of U.S. LNG. The deal follows QatarEnergy’s agreement with Cheniere earlier in October, and it comes while QatarEnergy has extended force majeure on some of its own shipments to the end of December, according to The National.
A Gulf producer is signing up for long-term U.S. supply at a time when its own exports are disrupted. That makes Middle East buyers part of the demand that underpins U.S. Gulf Coast liquefaction projects. The FOB terms leave shipping, destination flexibility and Hormuz-related logistics with the buyer. The ramp-up linked to train start dates means construction delays would shift delivery obligations, so commissioning and delay clauses will matter to both sides. This is a new transaction, separate from the Cheniere deal covered previously.
What it means for U.S. companies
Contracted offtake makes a U.S. LNG project easier to finance and gives contractors, pipeline suppliers and Louisiana service providers more confidence in Louisiana LNG’s build-out. U.S. developers still seeking buyers should note that Gulf national oil companies are now active long-term purchasers of U.S. volumes. FOB sales also open chartering and shipping opportunities for U.S. and international maritime counterparties. Sellers negotiating with state-owned buyers should plan early for sovereign-immunity, dispute-resolution and force-majeure terms.
Related reading
Our oil, gas and energy practice page explains how we draft and review joint operating agreements, farmouts, drilling and gas sales contracts, and host government agreements for U.S. companies and investors. Our Africa–U.S. transactions page covers deal structuring, due diligence and cross-border compliance, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Before you sign, read 5 Mistakes That Sink Africa–U.S. Deals (and How to Avoid Them), and find every item of that edition in the Oil & Gas Intelligence Brief.
Sources: Qatar News Agency (QatarEnergy statement) ↗ · The Peninsula Qatar ↗ · The National ↗ · Woodside ASX announcement 055/2026 (PDF; opened but text not machine-readable) ↗ · Qatar News Agency (Cheniere agreements, Oct 22) ↗
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Kachikwu & Nama’s oil and gas and contracts practice advises U.S. companies on LNG sale and purchase agreements and on deals with Middle East state-owned buyers.
The Oil & Gas Intelligence Brief summarizes publicly available information and links to its sources. It is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Facts can change after publication; always check the official source.
