Qatar in LNG export talks with Argentina, Salatt says

Qatar, the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, is in talks with two Argentinean companies to sell the cleaner-burning fuel, Abdullah Salatt, senior advisor to the Emirate’s energy minister, said in Tokyo.

The negotiations for middle-to-long term supplies began last year, he said on Wednesday without disclosing the name of the companies. Qatar also is holding talks with Uruguay on sales of the fuel, Salatt said without elaborating.

Qatar’s two LNG companies, RasGas and Qatar Liquified Gas Co. aim to increase production of the fuel, gas cooled to a liquid form for transportation by tankers, to 77 million metric tons a year by the end of 2011. Qatar Liquified will have seven units operational by then, with total production capacity of 42 million tons.

The Qatari delegation led by Energy Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah is visiting Japan this week. He is due to meet Japan’s Trade Minister Masayuki Naoshima today.

Neither of Qatar’s two LNG producers, RasGas and Qatar Liquefied, has signed a long-term supply agreement with a South American importer, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

(Source: Bloomberg)

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