Room for Qatar?

Qatar's plan to increase LNG-export capacity should not trouble Australia's position in key Asian markets

Qatar's recent announcement that it plans to expand its liquefied natural gas export capacity from 77m tonnes a year to 100m is hardly a surprise. Qatar has the world's third-largest proved gas reserves, estimated by BP to be nearly 900 trillion cubic feet. If there is a surprise it is that the moratorium on further development of its North Field has been in place for so long-more than a decade during which other countries with more limited reserves, notably Australia and the US, have been aggressively developing new projects. Still, the world of LNG is full of surprises. Russia has larger gas reserves than Qatar but while it is a major gas supplier to Western Europe, it is a minor player in