QatarEnergy signed a 27-year Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) agreement with China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) for the supply of 4 million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG to the People's Republic of China. The contracted LNG volumes will be supplied from QatarEnergy’s North Filed East (NFE) LNG expansion project and will be delivered to Sinopec’s receiving terminals in China, under the terms of the SPA. HE Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Dr. MA Yongsheng, the Chairman of Sinopec, signed the agreement yesterday during a hybrid virtual / physical ceremony. Joining the Minister at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha were senior executives from both companies, while Dr MA and other high level Sinopec executives participated virtually from Beijing.
The Minister said: “We are pleased to enter into this agreement, which will further solidify the excellent bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China and the State of Qatar and help meet China's growing energy needs. In addition, it opens a new and exciting chapter in our relationship with Sinopec, one that is very special and spans several different areas, and which we are excited about further growing and expanding into the 2050s.”
“This is the first long-term SPA from the NFE project to be announced and marks the longest gas supply agreement in the history of the LNG industry.” he added.
He thanked and showed appreciation to the working teams from Sinopec, QatarEnergy and Qatargas, for their dedication and sincere efforts to conclude the SPA, and gratitude to the leadership of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for his unwavering support to Qatar’s energy sector.
Dr. MA Yongsheng, on his part, said: “The signing of the long-term LNG SPA with QatarEnergy is a milestone and an important part of the integrated cooperation between the two sides on the NFE project. Qatar is the world’s largest LNG supplier, and China is the world’s largest LNG importer. The two countries share inherent complementarities and a good foundation for energy cooperation. The friendly and close ties between the two countries have created a good environment for us to constantly deepen cooperation. Sinopec attaches great importance to the cooperation with QatarEnergy, who we regard as a strategic, long-term and all-round partner, and we are expecting more cooperation fruits to come. Sinopec has been always committed to the development of green and clean energy. Our integrated cooperation with QatarEnergy on the NFE project could not only meet the needs of the Chinese market, but also reflect Sinopec's commitment to a low-carbon, green, safe, responsible and sustainable development path.”
The agreement is the second LNG SPA between QatarEnergy and Sinopec, following the 10-year SPA signed in March 2021 for the supply of 2 MTPA to China. The SPA is also the first long term LNG offtake agreement from the NFE Expansion project and comes on the heels of QatarEnergy’s conclusion of the formation of eight international partnership agreements for the North Field East and North Field South (NFS) projects, which are expected to come online in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
QatarEnergy has also concluded construction contracts and long-term time charter agreements for 60 LNG carriers as part of its historic LNG shipbuilding program in support of both the NFE and NFS expansion projects, with the number expected to grow to almost 100 in the future.
