Multibillion-dollar gas deal announced

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil announced Sunday the launch of a huge $12.8 billion liquefied natural gas project in Qatar that aims to ferry gas to Britain for the next 25 years.

Tiny Qatar, which sits atop one of the largest reserves of natural gas, stands to be the world’s top seller of liquefied gas — and one of its wealthiest countries — shortly after decade’s end.

Qatar Petroleum officials dubbed Sunday’s deal the world’s largest-ever liquefied natural gas development effort and largest energy financing, involving $7.6 billion in investments from 57 different institutions.

State-controlled Qatar Petroleum owns 70 percent of the joint venture, named QatarGas II, with ExxonMobil holding up to 30 percent.

Separately, Qatar Oil Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah said Sunday the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would stick to its production ceiling of 27 million barrels a day when it meets March 16 in Isfahan, Iran.

Settlement

Bank, family to pay victims of dictator

Riggs Bank and two members of the Allbritton family agreed to pay $9 million to victims of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet held secret accounts at the venerable Washington bank, which investigators found were used to launder and hide his ill-gotten gains. With the payment, the victims will withdraw a criminal complaint against Pinochet brought in a Madrid court. Joe L. Allbritton and his son Robert agreed to pay $1 million of the settlement, which will be distributed by a nonprofit foundation.