Gazprom and partners put second Nord Stream on-stream

Gazprom and partners started up the second line of their dual Nord Stream gas pipeline to Europe in early-October – and edged forward with plans for third and fourth Nord Stream pipelines

Less than a year after starting up their first pipeline direct from Russia to the German coast, the Nord Stream group – Russia’s Gazprom together with four European gas companies – sent first gas through the second line. The link’s capacity has been doubled to 55 billion cubic metres a year (cm/y), which Nord Stream estimates will cover a quarter of the additional gas the EU will be importing by 2030. But, ever ambitious, Nord Stream participants met on the day the new pipeline was inaugurated to discuss a feasibility study into expansions. The study “confirmed that the extension of Nord Stream with one or two additional lines is possible from the technical, environmental, permitting and fin