QatarEnergy is pushing back the start of a major liquefied natural gas expansion project to at least 2027 after a drone attack last week that forced the unprecedented closure of its Ras Laffan plant.

Production from the North Field East facility will now target its first export early next year, assuming the outage at Ras Laffan extends for a month or less, according to people with knowledge of the situation, who declined to be named as the information is not public.