Qatargas says maintenance on trains 5,6,7 complete

Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Qatargas said on Wednesday that maintenance had been completed on its trains 5, 6 and 7, as well as on its QG 3 and 4 inlet receiving facilities.

"Qatargas can confirm that the planned maintenance of its Trains 5, 6 and 7 and of its QG 3 and 4 inlet receiving facilities have been safely and successfully completed," an emailed company statement said.

European gas prices leapt in August after traders with knowledge of the situation told Reuters Qatargas trains 5, 6 and 7 would shut consecutively for around two weeks each from mid September to early November, when heating demand from big buyers in Europe and northeast Asia climbs as temperatures fall.

Qatargas' three newest production lines are each able to produce 7.8 million tonnes a year (mtpa) of LNG.

British benchmark front-season gas prices soared 6 percent in August on fears the maintenance could cut supply to north-west European consumers already worried about Qatari LNG diversions to Japan, where gas demand has boomed since a March earthquake shut nuclear power plants.

Qatargas operates seven LNG trains with a capacity of 42 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) but has signed several deals since March to sell more LNG to new markets in addition to Japan.