Gas from Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline leaks into Baltic Sea
- 2 years ago
Danish authorities ordered ships to avoid a five-nautical-mile radius off the island of Bornholm on Monday after a gas leak from the defunct Russian-owned Nord Stream 2 pipeline poured into the Baltic Sea overnight.
The German government said it was in contact with Danish authorities and working with local law enforcement to determine what caused the pipeline pressure to unexpectedly drop. The Danish Ministry of Energy declined to comment.
The operator of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had been running at reduced capacity since mid-June before shutting down completely in August, also announced a pressure reduction on both lines of the gas pipeline on Monday evening.
"The reasons are being investigated," Nord Stream AG stated on its website, without disclosing any further details.
The pipeline has been one of the flashpoints in an escalating energy war between Europe and Moscow since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February that has pummelled major Western economies and sent gas prices soaring.
"A leak today occurred on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Danish area," said Denmark's energy agency in a statement.
The German network regulator president, Klaus Mueller, said on Twitter the pressure drop in both pipelines "underscores the German network regulator's assessment that the situation is tense."
The regulator said it was currently not known what had caused the pressure drop, adding the event had no impact on security of supply in Germany and that the country's gas storage levels were around 91%.
Danish maritime authorities had issued a navigation warning and established a zone around the Nord Stream 2 pipeline "as it is dangerous for ship traffic", it added.
Nord Stream 2's operator said pressure in the pipeline, which had contained some gas sealed inside despite never becoming operational, dropped from 105 to 7 bars overnight.
The pipeline, which was intended to double the volume of gas flowing from St. Petersburg under the Baltic Sea to Germany, had just been completed and filled with 300 million cubic metres of gas when Germany cancelled it days before the invasion.
NO CLARITY
"Overnight the Nord Stream 2 landfall dispatcher registered a rapid gas pressure drop on Line A of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline," Nord Stream 2's operator said in a statement.
"Investigation is ongoing."
European countries have resisted Russian calls to allow the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to operate and accused Moscow of using energy as a weapon. Russia denies doing so and blames the West for gas shortages.
"We are currently in contact with the authorities concerned in order to clarify the situation. We still have no clarity about the causes and the exact facts," said a statement from the German economy ministry.
The Swiss-based operator, which has legally been wound up, said it had informed all relevant authorities about the leak.
Russian gas exporter Gazprom referred questions about the incident to the Nord Stream 2 operator.
Russia has cu
The German government said it was in contact with Danish authorities and working with local law enforcement to determine what caused the pipeline pressure to unexpectedly drop. The Danish Ministry of Energy declined to comment.
The operator of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had been running at reduced capacity since mid-June before shutting down completely in August, also announced a pressure reduction on both lines of the gas pipeline on Monday evening.
"The reasons are being investigated," Nord Stream AG stated on its website, without disclosing any further details.
The pipeline has been one of the flashpoints in an escalating energy war between Europe and Moscow since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February that has pummelled major Western economies and sent gas prices soaring.
"A leak today occurred on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Danish area," said Denmark's energy agency in a statement.
The German network regulator president, Klaus Mueller, said on Twitter the pressure drop in both pipelines "underscores the German network regulator's assessment that the situation is tense."
The regulator said it was currently not known what had caused the pressure drop, adding the event had no impact on security of supply in Germany and that the country's gas storage levels were around 91%.
Danish maritime authorities had issued a navigation warning and established a zone around the Nord Stream 2 pipeline "as it is dangerous for ship traffic", it added.
Nord Stream 2's operator said pressure in the pipeline, which had contained some gas sealed inside despite never becoming operational, dropped from 105 to 7 bars overnight.
The pipeline, which was intended to double the volume of gas flowing from St. Petersburg under the Baltic Sea to Germany, had just been completed and filled with 300 million cubic metres of gas when Germany cancelled it days before the invasion.
NO CLARITY
"Overnight the Nord Stream 2 landfall dispatcher registered a rapid gas pressure drop on Line A of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline," Nord Stream 2's operator said in a statement.
"Investigation is ongoing."
European countries have resisted Russian calls to allow the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to operate and accused Moscow of using energy as a weapon. Russia denies doing so and blames the West for gas shortages.
"We are currently in contact with the authorities concerned in order to clarify the situation. We still have no clarity about the causes and the exact facts," said a statement from the German economy ministry.
The Swiss-based operator, which has legally been wound up, said it had informed all relevant authorities about the leak.
Russian gas exporter Gazprom referred questions about the incident to the Nord Stream 2 operator.
Russia has cu