Natural gas, Qatari interest
Many learned about the very existence of the state of Qatar only then, when this tiny country on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula won the right to host the World Cup 2022 of the year. About, Where is Qatar, and now few know, and only specialists and especially advanced public know, why the country is separated from Saudi Arabia by a canal and how it has existed for many years under an almost complete blockade by its Arab neighbors.
It is believed, that Qatar is something like a pro-Iranian enclave on the other side of the Persian Gulf. Supplies from Iran really keep life in Qatar at a very high level., but at the same time, this state has always been considered almost the most reliable and proven US ally in the region. Interest in Qatar revived the events of recent months, when the big gas auction unfolded, associated with the prospects of Nord Stream 2 and the supply of liquefied natural gas not only to wealthy Europe, but also to all continents of the world.
Doha (capital of the State of Qatar) today it is increasingly active in the global market, and above all against Russia. As seen, the prospect of settling in the European market is too tempting, where no one thought to invite Qatar. 24 May Saad al-Kaabi, chief executive officer of state oil and gas company QPG, said in the Qatari capital:
Qatar not only does not intend to cut gas supplies due to the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis, but, in front of, intends to significantly increase the capacity, even, if it leads to a further drop in gas prices".
The businessman substantiated his statement by the fact, that “we are the most cost-effective gas producer in the world and can therefore weather market shocks”. Mr. al-Kaabi also added, looks like, to Russia, that “many producers will curtail production due to low prices, but for Qatar such a scenario is ruled out.”.
characteristically, that the very next day, Gazprom suspended for an indefinite period the export transfer of gas through the Yamal-Europe pipeline (Russia - Belarus - Poland - Germany), whose share in Russian gas supplies to the EU is not less than 25%. According to the Energy Security Fund of the Russian Federation from 26 May, this is due to the ongoing fall in prices and demand in Europe, primarily for pipeline gas.
On the problem of growing LNG supplies, especially Qatari, to Europe in the statement was said only secondarily. However, it is already known, what are the deliveries for January-April 2020 g. rose to 15%, and 60% of this increase falls again on Qatar. And in the context of the statement of the head of the QPG, we note, that this company, shortly before the pandemic, managed to conclude construction contracts in Japan and South Korea in 2020-2026 years over 80 few- and medium-capacity LNG tankers. And this is in addition to the 55 already available to Qatar ...
For many years to come
Qatar prepared for “gas” confrontation with Moscow, as it turns out, half a century ago. 29 May 1970 g. British Commissariat in Qatar, emirate in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula, proclaimed the first autonomous government of the emirate. what is called, with a long-range "gas" sight.
From the 17th century to the present, the country has been headed by the Al-Thani dynastic family., formerly under the protectorate of the Ottomans, and then, from 1915 of the year, already British. The first autonomous government of Qatar was established, repeat, exactly half a century ago, when British firms supplied “point” in the first large-scale exploration of the emirate's oil and gas resources.
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Even then, colossal gas pantries were installed, which can be used in a growing volume for gas supply to the West. In addition, it was in London that they actively performed, especially in the 1970s, against long-term gas supplies from the USSR. Already six months after the creation of the first autonomous government of Qatar, British business began to develop large reserves of natural gas explored back in the 60s off the western and northeastern coast of the country.
Since the early 1970s, British, and then more and more reserves were explored by American companies. In the spring 1974 g. the oil and gas industry of Qatar and all these works came under the control of the state company Qatar petroleum-gas (QPG), controlled by the Al Thani dynasty. This country with a territory half the size of the Moscow region and a population of two million in the 80s became the largest player in the global gas market.
Qatar has always preferred LNG - liquefied gas, because it's too far to pull the pipes, and they will pass through not the most calm regions. Tankers, on the other hand, can sail indefinitely - the main thing, so that there is enough capacity for receiving LNG. Global demand for LNG has grown many times over since the early 1970s, and today successfully competes with the demand for pipeline gas.
British, American, as well as Italian and Japanese companies have actually created the gas industry in Qatar from scratch. At the same time, they do not even claim high shares in the created capacities.. This is done, in order not to politically interfere with the Qatari authorities to increase competition with the Soviet, and then Russian gas. Not surprising, that since the second half of the 70s, almost all gas and oil and gas infrastructure facilities in Qatar remain under the jurisdiction of a special group of the Air Force and the US and British Navy. Qatar plays the modest role of a full-fledged ally there.
It is impossible not to remind, that Britain declared the independence of Qatar 3 September 1971 city, albeit under pressure from the US and Saudi Arabia. The geographical position of the emirate, which literally "weds" into the center of the Persian Gulf, Yes, even with large reserves of gas and oil, really prevented London from "parting" with Qatar.
But since 1956 of the year, after the defeat of Britain in the war with Egypt over the Suez Canal, the geopolitical alignment in the region was not in favor of London. This forced the British in 1961 to grant independence to their main oil and gas "box" in the region at that time - Kuwait., at 1967 g. - South Yemen. And in the early 70s, along with Qatar, also Bahrain, Oman, United Arab Emirates (then still - Treaty Oman), where oil and gas resources are not much less, than in Qatar. Suren Baliyev, Deputy Minister of Gas Industry of the USSR, and then director of the academic Center for Oil and Gas Information, He noted:
“The discovered reserves of natural gas in Qatar, with their operational development, may well compete successfully even with the growing gas supplies from the USSR to Europe.. Already in the early 70s. at the initiative of Great Britain, Western governments and companies discussed with the participation of Qatar and Kuwait the possibility of creating a trans-Arabian gas pipeline from Qatar through Turkey to Greece-Yugoslavia, further to Western Europe. This gas pipeline could play the role of "gathering" gas from Kuwait and Iraq along its route..
Later this project was mothballed., as noted by S. Baliyev, in favor of the development of Qatari LNG production, but the same project is kept for the future, that, along with Qatari, Kuwaiti and Algerian LNG, reduce Western Europe's dependence on Soviet gas supplies".
Meanwhile, gas production in Qatar grew by leaps and bounds. According to national statistics, Qatari average annual production increased from 5,5 billion. cubic meters on average 1971-1976 gg. to 20 billion. at 1980-1985 gg. and to 180 billion. cubic meters in 2019. The breakthrough was successful thanks to the colossal resource base and low production costs - one of the lowest in the world in this industry. It is the 4th in the world (after the US, Russia and Iran).
liquid market
According to OPEC and the International Energy Agency for 2019-2020 years, gas reserves (natural and gas condensate) in Qatar is around 14% from global. At the same time, at least 65% these stocks. LNG production in Qatar is a record in terms of capacity and volume: it is produced on 14 lines with a total capacity 104,7 bcm. meters per year, created in the mid-80s - early 2010s by US companies, Great Britain, Italy and Japan.
This amounts to about 25% world LNG capacities (2019 city). Almost all of them are state: shareholding of the national state company in them (QPG) — 70-85%. At the same time, Qatar has long had a huge national fleet of tankers.: according to 2019 g. this 55 technologically advanced gas carriers of medium and high capacity. Most of them are South Korean constructions of Q-max class with a deadweight of 270 thousand. tons and Q-flex dwt 166 thousand. tonnes.
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Such vessels fully ensure the supply of Qatari LNG in almost 30 nations, including China, Japan and 10 EU countries. And in terms of exports of this product (to 110 billion. cubic meters per 2019 year) Qatar has a nearly 25 percent share of global LNG exports. And it's been that way since the early 2000s..
The mentioned project of the trans-Arabian gas pipeline Qatar-Kuwait-Iraq-Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Europe is not forgotten either.. The National portal from the UAE and the Russian Internet resource Vokrug Gaza recently reported, that 2011 g. this project is being finalized by a Qatari-Turkish expert group with the participation of British and American specialists. The group was created in 2009 g. by joint decision of the President of Turkey R. Erdogan and Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The well-known political scientist and publicist Robert Kennedy Jr. quite objectively characterizes the economic and geopolitical goals of the project., comes from a famous family, son of Senator Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Back in February 2016 years he wrote in the American magazine Politico (g. Arlington):
"AT 2000 Qatar proposed to build a gas pipeline with a length of more than 1500 km costing in 10 billion. Doll. through Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Proposed gas pipeline, supported in the USA, should link Qatar directly to the European market. The pipeline would give the Sunni kingdoms of the Persian Gulf decisive dominance in the world natural gas markets and lead to the strengthening of Qatar, the closest US ally in the Arab world..
Moreover, “Qatar hosts two huge American military bases and the Headquarters of the US Central Command in the Middle East”.
Implementation of the project
“would bring the EU, where up to a third of gas consumption - imports from the Russian Federation - relief from the suffocating gas strategy of Vladimir Putin. Turkey, Russia's second largest gas consumer, especially concerned about, to end this dependence on its longtime rival and position itself as a profitable energy hub.”.
but of course, what
"Russians, selling 70% of its gas exports to Europe, consider the Qatar-Turkey pipeline an existential threat. According to V. fishing season, this gas pipeline is a NATO conspiracy, aimed at, to strangle the Russian economy, eliminating its leverage in the European energy market".
in short, Qatari gas is a lever for further, moreover, multilateral political and economic pressure on Moscow. Moreover, liquefied gas - the lever is already quite real, which is also a duet with the American, and pipeline - so far only potential. And to this role Qatar, for all its unequivocal dependence on Iran, prepared since the 70s of the last century.
However, many things could have turned out differently, if the new leadership of the USSR after Stalin had not rejected all projects for the production of LNG and, accordingly, its export. The choice at that time was clearly made in favor of the record-breaking creation of raw material pipelines to Europe. Our country could well get ahead of not only Qatar in “liquefaction” global gas market...
Alex Podymov, Alex Chichkin
