QatarEnergy said Tuesday that China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) would become a partner in its massive North Field LNG expansion and purchase the super-chilled fuel from the project for nearly three decades.

QatarEnergy

CNPC agreed to buy 4 million metric tons/year (mmty) of liquefied natural gas from the North Field East (NFE) expansion for a term of 27 years, one of the longest agreements ever signed in the industry. CNPC is also taking a 5% interest in the equivalent of one NFE train.

The North Field project is the largest ever advanced in the LNG industry. Along with NFE, the North Field South project would add six mega liquefaction trains with a capacity of 8 mmty each. The expansion would boost Qatar’s LNG production capacity from current levels of 77 mmty to 126 mmty by...