QatarEnergy Names Shell Partner for LNG Expansion Project

Qatar's Energy Minister, Saad al-Kaabi, and CEO of Shell, Ben van Beurden, gesture after a singing agreement at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, October 23, 2022. (Reuters)
Qatar's Energy Minister, Saad al-Kaabi, and CEO of Shell, Ben van Beurden, gesture after a singing agreement at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, October 23, 2022. (Reuters)
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QatarEnergy Names Shell Partner for LNG Expansion Project

Qatar's Energy Minister, Saad al-Kaabi, and CEO of Shell, Ben van Beurden, gesture after a singing agreement at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, October 23, 2022. (Reuters)
Qatar's Energy Minister, Saad al-Kaabi, and CEO of Shell, Ben van Beurden, gesture after a singing agreement at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, October 23, 2022. (Reuters)

QatarEnergy's chief executive on Sunday named Shell a partner on the Gulf Arab state's North Field South expansion, part of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

Shell will have a 9.3% share of the project and QatarEnergy will keep 75%, Saad al-Kaabi, who is also state minister for energy, said at a news conference.

The development contract for North Field South would be awarded in the first quarter of 2023, Kaabi said.

QatarEnergy was open to discussing working with Shell in all energy sectors, he added.

The North Field is part of the world's biggest gas field that Qatar shares with Iran, which calls its share South Pars.

State-owned QatarEnergy earlier this year signed deals for North Field East, the first and larger phase of the two-phase North Field expansion plan, which includes six LNG trains that will ramp up Qatar's liquefaction capacity from 77 million tons per annum to 126 million tons by 2027.

TotalEnergies, Shell, Exxon, ConocoPhillips and Eni took stakes in the North Field East expansion phase, and last month TotalEnergies was named as the first partner in the North Field South project.

QatarEnergy had said partners for the North Field South would be selected from those already involved in the first phase.



Saudi Arabia Maintains Top Global Ranking in Cybersecurity Index

The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Maintains Top Global Ranking in Cybersecurity Index

The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has retained its position as the world’s leading nation in the Cybersecurity Index, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025 released by the World Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Chairman of the National Cybersecurity Authority, said this accomplishment adds to the Kingdom’s series of successes across all fields.

He attributed the progress to the leadership’s proactive vision in establishing a comprehensive cybersecurity sector, encompassing both security and development dimensions, at local and international levels.

Al-Aiban noted that Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity ecosystem has undergone remarkable progress in a short span since the creation of the National Cybersecurity Authority and the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), which serves as its strategic and technical partner.

Together, these two pillars form the foundation of the Kingdom’s cybersecurity model, which has strengthened national cyber resilience, advanced technological sovereignty, localized critical technologies, and bolstered information sharing and international cooperation.

The National Cybersecurity Authority is the central entity responsible for cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia and the national reference for all related affairs. Its mandate is to safeguard vital interests, critical infrastructure, and national security.

It also aims to drive the growth of the cybersecurity sector, promote innovation and investment, and establish policies, governance mechanisms, frameworks, standards, controls, and guidelines. These efforts are designed to create a secure and reliable Saudi cyberspace that enables economic growth and prosperity.