Nord Stream 1

Nord Stream 1
Map
Map of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline
Location
Country
  • Russia
  • Germany
Coordinates
General directioneast–west–south
FromVyborg, Russian Federation
Passes throughGulf of Finland and Baltic Sea
ToLubmin near Greifswald, Germany
General information
TypeNatural gas
StatusInoperable
Partners
OperatorNord Stream AG
Manufacturer of pipes
Installer of pipesSaipem
Pipe layerCastoro Sei
Contractors
Commissioned
  • 8 November 2011 (1st line)
  • 8 October 2012 (2nd line)
Technical information
Length1,222 km (759 mi)
Maximum discharge55 billion m3/a (1.9 trillion cu ft/a)
Diameter1,220 mm (48 in)
No. of compressor stations1
Compressor stationsPortovaya
Websitewww.nord-stream.com Edit this at Wikidata

Nord Stream (German–English mixed expression for "North Stream 1"; Russian: Северный поток, romanizedSeverny potok) is a pair of offshore natural gas pipelines in Europe that run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.[1] It consists of the Nord Stream 1 (NS1) pipeline running from Vyborg in northwestern Russia, near Finland, and the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline running from Ust-Luga in northwestern Russia near Estonia. Both pipelines run to Lubmin in the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Each pipeline contains two pipes, denoted A and B; each of the four pipes is approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) long and with approximate diameters of 1,220 millimetres (48 in). The combined capacity of the four pipes is 110 billion cubic metres per annum (3.9 trillion cubic feet per annum) of natural gas.

The name "Nord Stream" sometimes refers to a larger pipeline network that includes the feeding onshore pipeline in Russia and additional connections in Western Europe. These Nord Stream projects have faced opposition from some Central and Eastern European countries, as well as the United States, due to concerns that the pipelines would increase Russia's influence in Europe and result in a reduction of transit fees for the use of existing pipelines in Central and Eastern European countries.

On 26 September 2022, the NS1 pipeline experienced multiple large pressure drops to almost zero, attributed to three as of yet unexplained underwater explosions in international waters,[clarification needed][2] rendering three of their four pipes inoperable.[3] The perpetrators' identities and the motives behind the sabotage remain debated despite three separate investigations by Denmark, Germany, and Sweden.[4] On 18 November 2022, Swedish authorities announced that remains of explosives were found at the site of the leaks, and confirmed that the incident was the result of "gross sabotage", while Danish authorities used the phrase "deliberate actions".[5][6]

  1. ^ "Gas Infrastructure Europe – System Development Map 2022/2021" (PDF). European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG). December 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Navigational Warnings and Notices to Mariners". Danish Maritime Authority. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  3. ^ Persson, Ida (27 September 2022). "Seismolog: Två explosioner intill Nord Stream". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  4. ^ Bennetts, Marc (2 February 2023). "Who attacked the Nord Stream pipelines?". The Times. London. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Bekräftat sabotage vid Nord Stream" [Confirmed sabotage on Nord Stream]. Åklagarmyndigheten (Press release) (in Swedish). Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  6. ^ Gans, Jared (18 November 2022). "Swedish say they found evidence of explosives in Nord Stream pipelines". The Hill. Retrieved 6 September 2023.