QatarEnergy has signed a 20-year agreement to buy 3 million metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually from Woodside Energy's facilities in Louisiana. (EPA Images pic)LONDON: Turning to your biggest rival is rarely a sign of confidence. Yet Qatar's decision to sign long-term contracts for US supplies suggests the world's second-largest LNG exporter is increasingly concerned that instability in the Gulf could undermine its ambitious expansion plans.

QatarEnergy last week signed a 20-year agreement to buy 3 million metric tonnes per year (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Woodside Energy's facilities in Louisiana.

A week earlier, it signed agreements with Cheniere Energy for up to 4 mtpa from its Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi plants through 2054.