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Cooking gas at home: getting a Shafaf cylinder, refills and safety
How cooking gas works in Qatar homes: buying your first Woqod Shafaf cylinder and regulator, exchanging it for a full one, getting it delivered, piped gas in towers, staying safe, and what to do with the cylinder when you move or leave.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- First cylinder (with gas)
- 6 kg QAR 283, 12 kg QAR 365 (Woqod list price)
- Domestic regulator
- Low-pressure regulator QAR 45, 1 m hose QAR 10
- Where
- Woqod stations (Sidra), authorised supermarkets and gas shops
- Gas leak or fire
- Call 999
Most homes in Qatar that cook with gas use a portable LPG cylinder rather than a mains connection, and the standard home cylinder is Woqod's Shafaf: a light, see-through fibreglass cylinder sold in 6 kg and 12 kg sizes. Some newer towers instead have central (piped) gas with a meter for each flat, billed by the building, not by Kahramaa. This guide is for anyone setting up a kitchen: you buy one Shafaf cylinder (which you then own) plus an approved regulator and hose, and after that you only pay to swap the empty cylinder for a full one. We cover where to buy and swap, how to get gas delivered, how to connect and check it safely, what to do if you smell gas, and what to do with the cylinder when you move out or leave Qatar. Electricity and water are a separate account with Kahramaa, covered in its own guide.
Before you start
- Check with your landlord or building manager whether the flat uses portable cylinders or a central gas supply, before you buy anything
- If the building has central gas: ask who supplies and bills it, whether there is a deposit, and whether it is included in the rent
- Look at your cooker or hob: most household stoves in Qatar run on LPG cylinders; a cooker built for piped gas may need its jets changed
- Decide on size: 12 kg suits most families; 6 kg is lighter and fits small flats, single people and camping
- Find your nearest Woqod station with a Sidra shop, or a neighbourhood supermarket or gas shop that sells Shafaf (the Woqod app shows Shafaf sales points)
- Budget about QAR 300 to QAR 420 for a first cylinder, regulator and hose
- Ask the outgoing tenant or friends leaving Qatar: many people sell or hand over their cylinder and regulator when they leave
- Save a local gas shop's or supermarket's phone number for refill delivery
Step by step
Check what gas your home uses
Ask your landlord or building manager whether the kitchen runs on a portable cylinder or a central (piped) gas system. Many villas and older buildings use cylinders, often kept on a balcony or in a ventilated cabinet beside the kitchen. Some newer towers, for example in Lusail, have a central gas system with a meter for each flat. Knowing this first stops you buying a cylinder you cannot use, or connecting a cylinder where your building does not allow one.
Read guide: Renting a home in Qatar →If you have central gas, set up the account
In buildings with piped gas, the gas is not part of your Kahramaa electricity and water account. Each flat normally has its own gas sub-meter, and the building owner, facilities manager or the gas operator they use reads it and bills you, usually monthly. Ask who bills it, whether there is a deposit or connection fee, and how to report a fault. Check your tenancy contract says whether gas is included in the rent, and photograph the meter reading on move-in day.
Read guide: Kahramaa: connecting electricity and water and paying bills →Choose the cylinder size
Shafaf comes in 6 kg and 12 kg sizes. An empty Shafaf cylinder weighs only about 5 kg, roughly half a steel one, so even a full 12 kg cylinder is manageable to carry. A family that cooks daily usually chooses 12 kg, which lasts several weeks. The 6 kg size suits small kitchens, occasional cooks and camping trips. Because the cylinder is transparent, you can see the gas level and swap it before it runs out.
Buy your first cylinder
Your first purchase is the cylinder itself, sold full of gas. Woqod lists the price as QAR 283 for 6 kg and QAR 365 for 12 kg, and sells Shafaf at its fuel stations (in the Sidra shop) and through authorised supermarkets and gas retailers across Qatar. You do not need to register or show documents. Keep the receipt. The cylinder is yours: when it is empty you exchange it for a full one and pay only for the gas. A second-hand cylinder from someone leaving Qatar is fine if it is genuine Shafaf, undamaged and not past the date printed on it.
Buy an approved regulator and hose
For a home kitchen you need a low-pressure regulator (QAR 45 at Sidra) and a hose (QAR 10 per metre). Woqod sells a medium-pressure regulator (QAR 64) for large home kitchens and a high-pressure one (QAR 100) only for commercial or industrial use, so do not let a shop talk you into the wrong one. Woqod has warned that cheap, unapproved regulators can damage the Shafaf valve and leak gas, so buy only Woqod-approved accessories. Replace a hose that is cracked, hard or older than the date printed on it.
Connect the cylinder and test for leaks
Stand the cylinder upright in a shaded, ventilated spot away from the cooker flame, direct sun and children. With the regulator switched off, push it firmly onto the cylinder valve until it locks, then fit the hose to the stove and tighten the clamps. Turn the regulator on and brush soapy water over every joint: bubbles mean a leak, so switch off and refit. Never use a match or lighter to look for a leak. If you are unsure, ask the shop or your building maintenance team to connect it.
Swap the empty cylinder for a full one
When the cylinder is nearly empty, take it to a Woqod station or an authorised supermarket or gas shop and exchange it for a full one of the same size. You pay only for the gas, which costs far less than a new cylinder. Shops check that you are returning a genuine Shafaf cylinder in good condition. Supplies can run short before Ramadan and Eid, so keep an eye on the level and swap early in busy seasons.
Get refills delivered
Many neighbourhood supermarkets and authorised gas shops will deliver a full Shafaf and take away your empty one if you call or message them, sometimes for a small delivery charge. Some online stores and grocery delivery apps in Qatar also list Shafaf refills. Before you pay, confirm it is a genuine Woqod Shafaf exchange, the size, the total price including delivery, and that the driver will take the empty. In tower blocks, check whether the building lets delivery drivers bring cylinders up in the lift.
Use and store gas safely every day
Turn the regulator off when you finish cooking and before you leave home or travel. Keep cylinders upright, outdoors or in a ventilated space, out of direct sun and away from heaters and children, and never store spare cylinders inside a bedroom or a closed cupboard. Do not let anyone tamper with the valve or fill a cylinder outside Woqod's network. Check the hose and connections regularly and repeat the soap test whenever you reconnect.
Read guide: Surviving Qatar's summer: heat safety and staying cool →If you smell gas, act at once
Turn off the cooker and the regulator if you can do so safely, then open all doors and windows. Do not switch lights, the extractor fan or any electrical appliance on or off, and do not use a lighter or match, because a spark can ignite the gas. Get everyone out, then call 999 from outside if the smell does not clear or there is any fire. In a building with central gas, also alert the building security or maintenance team so they can shut off the supply.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Take the cylinder with you when you move
Your Shafaf cylinder belongs to you, not the flat. When you move, turn the regulator off, disconnect it, and carry the cylinder upright in a ventilated part of the car, never in a closed boot on a hot day. If you are moving to a building with central gas or no gas, sell the cylinder or give it to a friend. Write the handover in your move-out checklist so the landlord does not assume it stays.
Read guide: Renting a home in Qatar →Sell or pass on the cylinder when you leave Qatar
You cannot fly with a gas cylinder, and we found no Woqod buy-back scheme for used Shafaf cylinders, so plan to sell or give it away. Cylinders, regulators and stoves sell quickly on local marketplaces and community groups, or you can include them in the sale of your kitchen items or leave them with the next tenant by agreement. If you have central gas, ask the building to take a final meter reading and settle the gas bill before you hand back the keys, so nothing is deducted from your deposit.
Read guide: Selling your furniture and things before leaving Qatar →
What it costs
| New Shafaf cylinder, 6 kg (with gas) | QAR 283 |
| New Shafaf cylinder, 12 kg (with gas) | QAR 365 |
| Low-pressure regulator (home use) | QAR 45 |
| Medium-pressure regulator (large home kitchen) | QAR 64 |
| Gas hose, 1 metre | QAR 10 |
| Refill (exchange) of a 12 kg cylinder | Not published by Woqod; it was QAR 15 at launch in 2014, so check the current price at the counter |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Buying a cylinder before checking whether the building has central gas or bans cylinders
- Using a cheap or high-pressure regulator on a home stove instead of a Woqod-approved low-pressure one
- Looking for a leak with a match or lighter, or switching on the extractor fan when you smell gas
- Keeping the cylinder in direct sun, next to the cooker or inside a closed cabinet
- Leaving the regulator on when you go out or travel
- Waiting until the cylinder is completely empty just before Ramadan or Eid, when shops often run short
- Assuming gas is part of your Kahramaa bill when the building bills piped gas separately
- Leaving the cylinder behind when moving out without agreeing it with the landlord or next tenant
Questions people ask
Is there a deposit on a Shafaf cylinder, or do I own it?
You buy the cylinder outright the first time (QAR 283 for 6 kg or QAR 365 for 12 kg, full of gas), so it is yours. After that you swap it for a full one and pay only for the gas. Keep it in good condition, because shops can refuse to exchange a damaged cylinder.
How much does a Shafaf refill cost?
Woqod does not publish the refill (exchange) price on its website. At launch in 2014 a 12 kg refill cost QAR 15, and it remains a small fraction of the cylinder price. Shops that deliver may add a delivery charge, so ask for the total before you order.
Can I get a gas cylinder delivered to my flat?
Yes, in most areas. Many neighbourhood supermarkets and authorised gas shops deliver a full Shafaf and take away the empty if you phone them, and some online stores and delivery apps also sell refills. The Woqod app helps you find Shafaf sales points but we could not confirm that it takes delivery orders.
Where can I refill when my local shop has none?
Try the Sidra shop at another Woqod station, or call supermarkets in nearby areas before driving round. Shortages tend to happen before Ramadan and Eid, when stock can sell out within an hour of delivery, so go early in the morning and swap before you run out.
Can I still use an old metal gas cylinder?
Woqod replaced metal domestic cylinders with Shafaf and stopped refilling them several years ago, so you are unlikely to get an old metal cylinder refilled through official outlets. Use a genuine Shafaf cylinder instead, and never use a cylinder filled outside Woqod's network.
My apartment has central gas. Who do I pay?
Not Kahramaa. In buildings with piped gas, each flat usually has its own meter and the building owner, facilities manager or their gas operator bills you, often monthly. Ask the landlord who bills it and whether there is a deposit, and settle the final reading before you move out.
What should I do if I smell gas?
Turn off the regulator if it is safe, open all doors and windows, and do not switch any lights, fans or appliances on or off. Get everyone out and call 999 if the smell does not go away. Check the connections with soapy water once it is safe, never with a flame.
What do I do with my cylinder when I leave Qatar?
You cannot take it on a plane, and we found no Woqod buy-back scheme, so sell it or give it away. Cylinders and regulators sell quickly in community groups and online marketplaces, or you can leave it with the next tenant by agreement.
Official sources
- Woqod: Shafaf cylinders, prices and approved accessories ↗
- Gulf Times: Woqod warns against unapproved LPG regulators ↗
- Gulf Times: Civil Defence safety tips on gas cylinders and leaks ↗
- Gulf Times: Shafaf launch, features and refill prices (2014) ↗
- Qatar Tribune: Shafaf refill shortages during Ramadan ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.