While national team players protest human rights violations in Qatar and attempts at censorship by FIFA on the green field, trade relations between Germany and the Gulf Emirate seem to be going well. Energy Minister Saad Sharida al-Kaabi announced on Tuesday that a gas supply contract with a minimum term of 15 years has been signed. According to reports, up to two million tons of liquefied natural gas will be delivered annually.
The supplies contribute to the long-term energy security of the country, but also of Europe. “This is a concrete demonstration (…) of our commitment to the Germans,” said the minister. Conoco Phillips head Ryan Lance added that the gas must be marketed to various buyers in Germany. The Qatari energy minister assured: “We have good relations with German companies and the German government.” The gas for the agreement now concluded comes from the two Qatari gas fields North Field East and North Field South, which lie offshore. of the Gulf state.
Looking for alternatives to Russian gas
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week that buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Qatar is not off the table. “German companies are in very concrete conversations about which I can tell you more than I will,” the SPD politician said in a “Focus” interview. Germany is trying to replace missing gas supplies from Russia, among others, with LNG supplies, for which several terminals are being built in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The first German LNG terminals are about to become operational. Although the gas storages are now almost full, liquefied natural gas should make an additional contribution. The German Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck (Greens) speaks of a “central building block for securing our energy supply in the coming winter”. So far, Germany and other European countries have received LNG received via the Netherlands, Belgium or France mainly from the US. During a trip in the spring, Habeck attempted to establish supply relations with Qatar. The emirate reportedly wants long-term contracts. Other major LNG exporting countries are Australia, Malaysia and Nigeria.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
