Qatar Rewrites Its Gas Playbook With Old Tankers and New Tactics
The world’s second-largest LNG exporter is testing workarounds to keep cargoes moving through Hormuz.
Qatar
Qatar is a high-income economy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, with its capital at Doha. 100.0% of its people had electricity in 2024.
- Electricity access
- 100.0%
- 2024, world 91.9%
- Renewable electricity
- 0.3%
- 2021, world 27.8%
- CO₂ per person
- 47.33 t
- 2024, world 4.69 t
- Consumption per person
- 19,313 kWh
- 2024, world 3,708 kWh
- Clean cooking
- 100.0%
- 2024, world 75.4%
- GDP per person
- 72,525
- 2025, world 14,406
Electricity generation mix
- Oil
- Coal
- Gas
- Hydro
- Nuclear
- Solar, wind & other
Qatar2024
Middle East & North Africa2024
World2024
View data table
| Economy | Oil | Coal | Gas | Hydro | Nuclear | Solar, wind & other | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | 0.3% | 0.0% | 96.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 2024 |
| Middle East & North Africa | 19.3% | 3.1% | 67.1% | 3.3% | 1.7% | 2.9% | 2024 |
| World | 2.3% | 34.5% | 21.9% | 14.6% | 9.8% | 12.4% | 2024 |
Share of electricity production by source, latest year available. Shares may not sum to exactly 100% because of rounding and minor sources.
Access to electricity
% of population, compared with Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and the world.
- Qatar
- World
- Middle East & North Africa
0%
50%
100%
QatarMiddle East & North AfricaWorld View data table
| Year | Qatar | World | Middle East & North Africa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 100.0% | 91.9% | 96.8% |
| 2023 | 100.0% | 91.6% | 96.4% |
| 2022 | 100.0% | 91.3% | 95.9% |
| 2021 | 100.0% | 91.3% | 96.4% |
| 2020 | 100.0% | 90.4% | 96.3% |
| 2019 | 100.0% | 90.1% | 96.0% |
| 2018 | 100.0% | 89.8% | 95.0% |
| 2017 | 100.0% | 88.9% | 96.0% |
| 2016 | 100.0% | 88.1% | 95.2% |
| 2015 | 100.0% | 86.9% | 93.4% |
| 2014 | 100.0% | 86.2% | 94.0% |
| 2013 | 100.0% | 85.7% | 93.1% |
| 2012 | 100.0% | 84.9% | 91.9% |
| 2011 | 100.0% | 84.5% | 90.8% |
| 2010 | 100.0% | 83.5% | 90.6% |
| 2009 | 100.0% | 82.9% | 88.7% |
| 2008 | 100.0% | 82.7% | 88.1% |
| 2007 | 100.0% | 82.0% | 87.2% |
| 2006 | 100.0% | 81.4% | 87.7% |
| 2005 | 100.0% | 80.7% | 86.0% |
| 2004 | 100.0% | 80.0% | 85.0% |
| 2003 | 100.0% | 80.0% | 84.6% |
| 2002 | 100.0% | 79.1% | 83.6% |
| 2001 | 100.0% | 78.7% | 83.3% |
| 2000 | 100.0% | 78.2% | 82.6% |
| 1999 | 100.0% | 74.5% | – |
| 1998 | 100.0% | 73.2% | – |
| 1997 | 100.0% | – | – |
| 1996 | 100.0% | – | – |
| 1995 | 100.0% | – | – |
Energy production and use
| Measure | Latest | Year | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude oil production | 1,297 thousand b/d | 2025 | 16 of 99 |
| Oil consumption | 276 thousand b/d | 2024 | 47 of 216 |
| Gas production | 170 bcm | 2024 | 6 of 97 |
| Gas consumption | 46.8 bcm | 2024 | 22 of 126 |
| Electricity generation | 56.7 TWh | 2024 | 52 of 211 |
| Renewable generation | 2.3 TWh | 2024 | 110 of 206 |
| Primary energy consumption | 2.34 quad Btu | 2024 | 35 of 215 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
Power generation, 2025
Qatar generated 57.2 TWh of electricity in 2025, 4% of it from low-carbon sources, at 582 grams of CO₂ per kWh.
Source: Ember, yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0).
Qatar in world rankings
- Crude oil production#16 of 98
- Oil consumption#46 of 203
- Natural gas production#6 of 96
- Natural gas consumption#22 of 125
- Electricity generation#51 of 202
- Renewable generation#109 of 200
- Primary energy consumption#34 of 203
- Clean electricity share#167 of 190
- Grid carbon intensity#138 of 190
- Solar share of electricity#97 of 169
- Gas share of electricity#5 of 114
Emissions
CO₂ per person, tonnes, excluding land use.
- Qatar
- World
- Middle East & North Africa
0 t
20 t
40 t
60 t
QatarWorldMiddle East & North Africa View data table
| Year | Qatar | World | Middle East & North Africa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 47.33 t | 4.69 t | 4.09 t |
| 2023 | 48.64 t | 4.68 t | 4.09 t |
| 2022 | 45.20 t | 4.67 t | 4.09 t |
| 2021 | 47.28 t | 4.68 t | 4.08 t |
| 2020 | 41.28 t | 4.47 t | 3.94 t |
| 2019 | 44.59 t | 4.70 t | 4.03 t |
| 2018 | 44.52 t | 4.73 t | 4.00 t |
| 2017 | 44.82 t | 4.67 t | 4.11 t |
| 2016 | 46.04 t | 4.65 t | 4.07 t |
| 2015 | 48.66 t | 4.70 t | 4.07 t |
| 2014 | 51.48 t | 4.78 t | 4.09 t |
| 2013 | 53.29 t | 4.81 t | 4.02 t |
| 2012 | 53.60 t | 4.77 t | 4.03 t |
| 2011 | 51.20 t | 4.76 t | 3.92 t |
| 2010 | 44.66 t | 4.67 t | 3.91 t |
| 2009 | 39.76 t | 4.45 t | 3.84 t |
| 2008 | 43.35 t | 4.56 t | 3.80 t |
| 2007 | 46.46 t | 4.59 t | 3.69 t |
| 2006 | 50.36 t | 4.48 t | 3.60 t |
| 2005 | 52.77 t | 4.39 t | 3.48 t |
| 2004 | 53.24 t | 4.28 t | 3.35 t |
| 2003 | 51.39 t | 4.15 t | 3.23 t |
| 2002 | 50.90 t | 4.02 t | 3.19 t |
| 2001 | 47.84 t | 4.01 t | 3.16 t |
| 2000 | 49.23 t | 4.01 t | 3.08 t |
| 1999 | 53.11 t | 3.95 t | 3.03 t |
| 1998 | 51.75 t | 3.98 t | 2.98 t |
| 1997 | 50.68 t | 4.02 t | 3.03 t |
| 1996 | 43.07 t | 4.01 t | 2.97 t |
| 1995 | 40.79 t | 3.99 t | 2.95 t |
Currency
3.6400 QAR
per US dollar, mid-market reference. 1 QAR = ₦365.74
Sunshine in Doha
3.7 kWh/m² today
- We3.7 kWh per square metre
- Th5.6 kWh per square metre
- Fr5.7 kWh per square metre
- Sa5.7 kWh per square metre
- Su5.7 kWh per square metre
- Mo5.6 kWh per square metre
- Tu5.4 kWh per square metre
Open-Meteo forecast, modelled irradiation.
Power plants
Installed capacity by fuel
12 plants, 10,548 MW recorded in WRI’s Global Power Plant Database.
- Gas10,548 MW
Snapshot as of the database’s 2021 release; newer plants are not included. Nameplate capacity, not available generation.
Largest plants
| Plant | Fuel | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ras Laffan C (Ras Qartas) CCGT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 2,730 | – |
| Mesaieed CCGT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 2,007 | – |
| Qatalum CCGT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 1,350 | – |
| Ras Laffan B CCGT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 1,025 | – |
| Ras Laffan A Cogen GT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 756 | – |
| Ras Abu Fontas A OCGT Cogen Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 626 | – |
| Ras Abu Fontas B OCGT Cogen Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 609 | – |
| Ras Abu Fontas B-2 OCGT Cogen Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 567 | – |
| Ras Abu Fontas B-1 OCGT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 376 | – |
| Al Wajbha GT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 301 | – |
| Al Saliyah GT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 134 | – |
| Doha South Super GT Power Plant Qatar | Gas | 67 | – |
All indicators
Qatar in numbers
Energy access
| Indicator | Qatar | Year | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0% | 2024 | 96.8% | 91.9% |
| Access to electricity, rural % of rural population | 100.0% | 2024 | 94.0% | 84.9% |
| Access to electricity, urban % of urban population | 100.0% | 2024 | 99.4% | 97.8% |
| Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking % of population | 100.0% | 2024 | 77.8% | 75.4% |
Power supply and mix
| Indicator | Qatar | Year | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from coal % of total | 0.0% | 2021 | 3.1% | 34.5% |
| Electricity production from natural gas % of total | 96.5% | 2024 | 67.1% | 21.9% |
| Electricity production from oil % of total | 0.3% | 2021 | 19.3% | 2.3% |
| Electricity production from nuclear % of total | 0.0% | 2021 | 1.7% | 9.8% |
| Electricity production from hydroelectric sources % of total | 0.0% | 2021 | 3.3% | 14.6% |
| Electric power transmission and distribution losses % of output | 5.7% | 2024 | 14.4% | 6.9% |
| Electric power consumption per capita kWh per capita | 19,313 kWh | 2024 | 2,428 kWh | 3,708 kWh |
Energy transition
| Indicator | Qatar | Year | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from renewables, excluding hydro % of total | 0.3% | 2021 | 2.9% | 12.4% |
| Renewable electricity output % of total electricity output | 0.3% | 2021 | 6.3% | 27.8% |
| Renewable energy consumption % of total final energy consumption | 0.0% | 2021 | 7.5% | 19.7% |
| CO₂ emissions per capita (excluding LULUCF) t CO₂e per capita | 47.33 t | 2024 | 4.09 t | 4.69 t |
| CO₂ emissions, total (excluding LULUCF) Mt CO₂e | 135.3 Mt | 2024 | 3,306.2 Mt | 39,632.7 Mt |
| Energy intensity of primary energy MJ per $2017 PPP GDP | 7.20 MJ/$ | 2021 | 5.33 MJ/$ | 4.54 MJ/$ |
Energy economy
| Indicator | Qatar | Year | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 83.8% | 2024 | 68.5% | 9.5% |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 15.28% | 2021 | 13.97% | 1.36% |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 12.01% | 2021 | 2.95% | 0.52% |
| GDP per capita current US$ | 72,525 | 2025 | 6,202 | 14,406 |
| Population, total people | 3M | 2025 | 828M | 8.2B |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Latest year available per series.