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13 min ago 2 min read
Italian energy company Edison has confirmed a further extension of QatarEnergy’s force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries, with six additional cargoes cancelled and the disruption now expected to continue until early December 2026.
The latest extension brings the total number of affected cargoes to 35 since the initial declaration in April, representing approximately 4.6 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas.
Edison said it had received a further notice from QatarEnergy confirming that it would be unable to fulfil its contractual obligations for deliveries to Italy’s Adriatic LNG receiving terminal.
As of 28 September, Edison had replaced 23 of the affected cargoes, equivalent to around 2.3bcm of natural gas. The company said it remained able to source alternative supplies to meet customer demand and honour its commercial commitments.
Edison holds a long-term contract with QatarEnergy for the supply of 6.4bcm of natural gas annually to Italy. The 25-year agreement has been in place since 2009.
The latest announcement follows an earlier extension in September, when the force majeure period was pushed back to , affecting 29 cargoes and approximately 3.8bcm of gas.
QatarEnergy initially declared force majeure following in March that damaged facilities at Ras Laffan, disrupting LNG production and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The disruption has removed a substantial volume of Qatari LNG from global markets, forcing buyers in Europe and Asia to seek alternative supplies, including from the spot market.
QatarEnergy has estimated that the damage could take up to five years to repair, with the disruption also affecting helium production and exports from the country.
US LNG exports have benefited from the supply shortfall. Exports averaged in the first half of 2026, up 23% year-on-year, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
