A moratorium is a delay, a period during which certain proceedings or obligations are suspended. In April 2005 Qatar announced a moratorium on new gas projects in order to ensure optimal reservoir management and, therefore, the productive life of its North Field gas reservoir. This was only expected to last until 2008, but Doha seems reluctant to add to the 25bn cf/d it is already committed to producing, at least until 2012. North Field gas-supply commitments amount to 77m tons a year (t/y) of liquefied natural gas (LNG), most of which has already been contracted