Qatar replaced its veteran energy minister Abdullah al-Attiyah with junior minister Mohammed Saleh al-Sada on Tuesday, in a move likely to ensure policy continuity in the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter. For more than a decade Attiyah has managed the build-up of Qatar's natural gas capacity, helping it become the largest exporter of LNG and one of the world's richest countries.
Just 14 years after shipping its first tanker-load of super-cooled gas, the tiny Gulf state late last year celebrated reaching a long-term goal of being able to export 77 million tonnes of LNG per year to markets around the world. The final part of that effort is near completion, with the last LNG train or production line coming on-stream in February.
"This seems to be a generational change - Attiyah was getting on and was due to retire sooner or later. Sada is a classic safe pair of hands. Perhaps Attiyah was allowed to soldier on until the 77m t/y LNG capacity target was reached, and has been given an honorary position to signal that he has done nothing wrong," said David Butter, MENA regional director of the Economist Intelligence Unit in London.
Attiyah, who was Qatar's minister of energy and industry since 1992, was named head of the ruler's court and will retain his title as deputy prime minister, according to a decree. "I think the appointment signals continuity. He has been appointed to head the Amiri Diwan, which in the GCC monarchies is one of the most central and powerful (behind the scenes) positions. He will basically co-ordinate all official and unofficial contacts, relationships and work of the Emir and the central parts of the royal court," said Samuel Cizsuk, energy analyst at IHS in London.
A senior energy ministry official, who asked not to be identified told Reuters: "There will be no change to the oil policy. Our ship is sailing very smoothly, so why should there be any change? All the major oil projects have been announced so everything should be calm and smooth." Qatar is the second-smallest oil producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec). Analysts agreed policy changes were not likely to be seen with the management shift.