Qatar's nominal gross domestic product rose by 40 per cent during the third quarter compared a year ago, latest data from the Qatar Statistics Authority said.

Robust activity in the mining and quarrying sector on account on increasing gas output produced the quarter's strong performance, which grew to $45 billion, the state statistics authority said in an e-mailed press release. The mining and quarrying sector, which includes gas and oil, grew 57 per cent.

"The growth has been driven mainly by expansion in the production levels of liquefied natural gas, pipeline gas, other gas-related products and condensates, coupled with increases in hydrocarbon prices," the statistics authority said.

Qatar is the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas.

Manufacturing likewise jumped 37 per cent.

Qatar raised its capacity to produce LNG to 77 million tonnes when it opened its 14th liquefaction plant earlier this year. Royal Dutch Shell's $18.5 billion Pearl GTL, the world's largest plant that switches gas into liquid fuels such as diesel and kerosene, likewise began operations this year.

Once fully operational, the Pearl GTL can produce 140,000 bpd of high quality GTL products, including "cleaner-burning" diesel and aviation fuel, oils for advanced lubricants, naphtha used to make plastics and paraffin for detergents. It will also produce 120,000 bpd of natural gas liquids, including liquefied petroleum gas and condensate, as well as ethane.

LNG is gas chilled to a liquid for transport by ship.