- An explosion and fire at Qatar’s Barzan gas facility injured 54 people and left 18 others missing.
- Authorities blamed a technical malfunction for the incident at the Ras Laffan Industrial City gas hub.
An explosion at a gas facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City injured 54 people and left 18 others missing, authorities said on Monday, June 22, 2026. The blast occurred late Sunday at the Barzan local gas supply facility in Ras Laffan, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) hubs.
Qatar’s Interior Ministry attributed the incident to a technical malfunction and described it as an internal explosion. The explosion sent flames and thick smoke into the night sky and shook areas across the capital, Doha. Witnesses reported hearing the blast from several kilometres away.
QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company, said the explosion and subsequent fire occurred during the start-up of operations at the Barzan gas facility. Emergency response teams quickly deployed to the site and brought the fire under control, according to the company.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that 54 people sustained injuries in the incident and said rescue teams continued searching for 18 missing individuals.
The Barzan facility plays a critical role in Qatar’s domestic energy supply chain. Before the incident, the plant supplied about 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas daily to power generation facilities, water desalination plants and local industries. The facility also produces ethane, condensate, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and sulphur for domestic consumption and export markets.
QatarEnergy holds a 93 percent stake in the Barzan project, while ExxonMobil owns the remaining seven percent.
The explosion comes months after the Ras Laffan industrial zone suffered significant damage during the conflict between the United States and Iran. Iranian drone and missile strikes targeted Gulf energy infrastructure and forced Qatar to suspend LNG production.
Earlier attacks on key facilities reduced export capacity and raised concerns about the long-term reliability of global LNG supplies.
Qatar ranks among the world’s leading LNG producers alongside the United States, Australia and Russia. The country shares the massive South Pars gas field with Iran and plays a vital role in supplying natural gas to major markets across Asia and Europe.
Industry observers will closely monitor the impact of the latest incident on Qatar’s energy infrastructure, domestic gas supply and future export capacity.