Nord Stream 2 fills pipeline with gas ahead of regulatory approval
Nord Stream 2 has been filled with “technical gas” while awaiting clearance from Germany’s regulator.
The pipeline’s Swiss operator Nord Stream 2 AG has filled the first of the project’s two lines with 177 million cubic metres of gas in order to maintain pressure in the pipeline for future exports.
The newly constructed 764-mile pipeline can supply natural gas directly to Germany through the Baltic Sea.
Supplies are now sufficient to transport gas in the near future.
It is expected that the pipeline will be certified by the Federal Network Agency, but the approval process could still take months.
Nord Stream 2 has been funded by Kremlin-owned energy giant Gazprom.
Russia believes the new pipeline could provide relief to the European gas market, as it will double Moscow’s annual export capacity in the Baltic to 110 cubic metres
The project has been at the centre of political controversy in recent weeks.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has denied the the country has been withholding gas supplies to put pressure on Europe and raise energy prices in order to force through approval of the pipeline.
He dismissed the accusations as ‘blather’.
This followed criticism from the Inrternational Energy Agency that Russia was not doing enough to increase supplies to Europe.
Russia’s ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin warned Europe that they needed to be patient as the country increased its gas flows to the continent.
He said that “gas travels at not the speed of light.”