Gazprom welds the second line of Nord Stream

The last joint of the second line of Nord Stream is welded at Portovaya Bay, the press service of Gazprom reports. The last joint connects the sea sector of the second line of the gas pipeline with the coastal sector and land infrastructure at the Russian coast in Portovaya Bay near Vyborg. The filling of the second line with technical (buffer) gas will start in several days, this is the last step before its putting into operation. Gas deliveries to Europe via the second line of Nord Stream will start in Q4, 2012.

Nord Stream is the new route of export of Russian gas to Europe. The pipeline passes the water area of the Baltic Sea from Portovaya Bay (near Vyborg) to the coast of Germany (near Greifswald). The pipeline is 1,224 km long. Nord Stream project is fulfilled by the joint venture Nord Stream AG. The shares in the company are distributed as follows: Gazprom Plc. – 51%, Wintershall Holding and E.ON Ruhrgas — 15.5% each, Gasunie and GDF Suez – 9% each.

Commercial gas deliveries via the fist line of Nord Stream started on November 8, 2011. On April 18 laying of the second line of Nord Stream was completed. After both lines reach their designated capacity the throughput of the pipeline will make up 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year.

Source: http://www.angi.ru/news.shtml?oid=2792134

Translated by Alexandra Utyasheva