Qatar Extends LNG Force Majeure Into November as Gas Prices Jump in Asia and Europe

State-owned QatarEnergy extended the force majeure on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries into early November on Friday, 7 Shahrivar 1405 (August 28, 2026), as LNG traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill. According to Oilprice.com's Charles Kennedy, citing Bloomberg, Asia's spot LNG price jumped to $23.388 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on Friday, near four-year highs, while Europe's LNG price rose to its highest since 2023 and the Dutch TTF benchmark gas price climbed 2% in morning trading in Amsterdam to top $80 (69 euros) per megawatt-hour.

The report said European gas storage sites are only about 63% full heading into winter, compared with a five-year average of roughly 80%. Unlike crude oil, which can be shuttled out of the Strait of Hormuz via ship-to-ship transfers, LNG cannot be moved that way, which is why Qatari cargoes remain trapped behind the chokepoint.