Surviving Nord Stream gas pipeline line can be reactivated quickly

Alexey Belogoryev, Research and Development Director of the Institute for Energy and Finance, commented to the TASS news agency on the current state and prospects for the resumption of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines operation.

Exactly three years ago, on September 26, 2022, an unprecedented terrorist attack was carried out on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream-2 gas pipelines, as a result of which only one line of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline system survived.

The surviving Nord Stream 2 line was mothballed by Gazprom in a timely manner, and it retains the required working volume of gas and operating pressure, Alexey Belogoryev pointed out.

At the same time, since the line has not been exposed to any external influences, all environmental and technical permits from the German and Danish authorities, which it received by the end of 2021, should de jure continue to be valid, the expert noted.

"Given the 18th package of sanctions, the EU's intention to completely stop importing Russian pipeline gas no later than January 1, 2028, and the general political context in Germany and the EU, there are no prospects in the foreseeable future for not only making this pipeline operational, but even starting serious negotiations between for example, Germany and Russia to resume its work in one form or another. That is, in order for things to get off the ground, it is necessary first to come to some serious general political warming between Russia and the EU, which so far looks unlikely," Belogoryev said.

In addition, the proposed US mediation in the launch of Nord Streams is nothing more than an information stuffing by the administration of US President Donald Trump, who is trying to use this topic as a "bait" for Russia, said the director of research at the Institute of Energy and Finance. According to him, the easing of sanctions by the United States or their entry into the project as an operator will not change the situation.