Qatar’s state-owned oil and gas company QatarEnergy has selected Shell as a partner in the large North Field East LNG expansion project.

The North Field East LNG project will expand Qatar’s LNG export capacity from the current 77 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 110 mtpa. A $28.75 billion investment, NFE is to start production before the end of 2025.

Shell will hold a 25 per cent share in a joint venture company that will own 25 per cent of the North Field East expansion project. This includes the four mega LNG trains with a combined nameplate LNG capacity of 32 mtpa.

Shell says its investment in this LNG expansion will support the delivery of much-needed supplies of natural gas to markets around the world.

The project will also be integrated with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) to reduce emissions.

Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden said: “Through its pioneering integration with CCS, this landmark project will help provide LNG the world urgently needs with a lower carbon footprint. Lower carbon natural gas is a key pillar of our Powering Progress strategy and will also help us achieve our target of becoming a net-zero emissions business by 2050.”

“This agreement deepens our strategic partnership with QatarEnergy which includes multiple international partnerships such as the world-class Pearl GTL asset.”

Shell is QatarEnergy’s fifth partner in this project; QatarEnergy firstly announced a partnership with France’s TotalEnergies, with Italy’s Eni, with ConocoPhillips, and then with ExxonMobil.

The North Field lies off the northeast shore of the Qatar peninsula and is one of the largest single non-associated natural gas fields in the world.