The Middle East needs alternative export routes for liquefied natural gas that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz, Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals Salim Al-Aufi said at the Gastech conference. He argued that the region should develop multiple options for moving resources out of the area.
According to Bloomberg, Al-Aufi said: “Let’s identify alternative export options. Be it north or through Oman or through Yemen. Diversify your options to get the resources out of the area.”
The issue has become more urgent after LNG exports from the Persian Gulf slumped following the start of the war between the United States and Israel and Iran. Any alternative route would require new pipelines, however, and that would take time while also creating fresh targets for drone and missile attacks, especially after recent Yemeni strikes on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline.
Oman itself produces more than 11 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually. In 2026, the Oman LNG hub has been running above nameplate capacity to offset lost supply from neighboring Qatar, previously the region’s biggest producer. A mid-July report by MEES said the hub’s three trains were operating at a rate above their combined nameplate capacity of 11.4 million tons per year.
At the same time, the president of Chevron’s Australian operations, Balaji Krishnamurthy, told Bloomberg that LNG prices are likely to stay elevated for longer. In his view, it is hard to see prices coming down, with the market likely to remain under price pressure for at least another six months.
Earlier, Reuters cited unnamed sources as saying QatarEnergy was seeking LNG deals with U.S. producers to replace domestic supply lost because of damage from Iranian strikes. The company is looking at long-term agreements through 2031, a sign that restarting Ras Laffan could take considerable time and potentially extend the period of inflated LNG prices.
