Nord Stream shuts down again
(Baonghean.vn) - The reason for stopping pumping gas through this pipeline is to repair the only gas compressor currently in operation, while the transportation and repair of the remaining compressors are still open.
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Illustration photo: Reuters |
On August 31, TASS news agency reported that the transportation of Russian gas via Nord Stream, the main route for Russian gas exports to Europe, will be suspended again on the night of August 31, this time for 3 days, until the night of September 3. The reason for stopping pumping gas through this pipeline is to repair the only gas compressor unit currently in operation, while the transportation and repair of the remaining units are still open.
The shutdown is necessary for preventive maintenance work on the unit, according to the source. As Gazprom pointed out, Siemens needs to service the unit every 1,000 hours. If the work is completed and there are no technical faults in the unit, gas deliveries will be restored to 33 million cubic meters per day.
During the Nord Stream maintenance and repair period, the only route for Russian gas to Western and Central European countries is via Ukraine: recently, the Ukrainian side confirmed its request for about 42 million cubic meters per day. Gas supplies via TurkStream and Blue Stream are intended to serve Türkiye and the countries of Southern and Southeastern Europe.
Previously, Nord Stream also stopped gas transport in mid-July. At that time, from July 11 to 21, the pipeline was repaired according to the annual plan. However, immediately after the gas pumping operation was restored to a low level, the gas transport via Nord Stream continued to decrease sharply. Gazprom had to shut down another gas turbine engine at the Portovaya compressor station due to the deadline for overhaul. As a result, since July 27, the pipeline has been operating at only 20% of its maximum capacity, or about 33 million cubic meters per day.
According to TASS, such a situation arose with Nord Stream due to Siemens' failure to fulfill its contractual obligations. One of the turbines, manufactured by Siemens Energy in Canada, was sent to Montreal for repairs. Due to Ottawa's sanctions against Moscow, the manufacturer initially refused to return the repaired equipment to Germany, but after repeated requests, it decided to do so.
However, the turbine is currently stuck in Germany because Gazprom does not have the necessary paperwork to transport and repair the Nord Stream engine, and the remaining engines (except the last running engine) have stopped operating while waiting for Siemens to perform maintenance work.
The drop in supply via Nord Stream has had a significant impact on the European gas market. Last week, spot gas prices on the ICE exchange in Europe surpassed $3,500 per 1,000 m3 for the first time since early March.3. This price is close to the record level ever recorded: gas prices reached nearly $ 3,900 on March 7, 2022.
