LNG market disruption may continue for months as a top producer withholds some Italian shipments in Oil & Companies News 03/07/2026 War damage to energy facilities in Qatar, one of the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas producers, signals that disruptions to the market may continue for months, even with the Strait of Hormuz open. Edison SpA, the Italian electric utility unit under French group EDF, said QatarEnergy extended a force majeure notice, withholding four additional LNG cargoes scheduled for Italy’s Adriatic LNG terminal until early September. The latest extension brings the total cargoes affected over the delivery period from April to early September to 21, equivalent to about 2.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas, Edison said in a statement Tuesday. QatarEnergy declared force majeure on its LNG output in March, when Iran launched a series of attacks at Gulf oil and gas facilities in response to strikes from the U.S. and Israel. Iranian missile attacks damaged two LNG-producing trains at Ras Laffan, the world’s largest LNG export facility, in March, curtailing production by 12.8 million tons a year, or about 17% of Qatar’s LNG exports. The fallout from the months-long hostilities has disrupted QatarEnergy’s contractual natural gas supply of 6.4 billion cubic meters annually to Italy, under a 25-year contract with Edison. Edison said it has replaced 14 of the 21 cargoes with alternative supply and doesn’t expect the shortfall to affect its end customers. The state-owned Qatari giant has estimated the Ras Laffan damage would cost $20 billion a year in lost revenue and take up to five years to repair. The company did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment. Market participants cautioned that natural gas prices could remain above pre-war levels even though the tankers carrying LNG and oil, previously stalled around the Persian Gulf, have slowly resumed movement under a 60-day ceasefire agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran. “Continued uncertai