Page 8 - FSUOGM Week 28 2022

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Nord Stream 1 shuts down for 10-day

maintenance run

RUSSIA RUSSIA has closed down the Nord Stream 1 gas Canada’s government said on July 9 it would
pipeline for annual maintenance for ten days, offer a special exemption to its sanctions regime,
European politicians are and while the routine repairs had been long allowing Siemens to send the unit back to Rus-
worrying that it will not planned, some European officials have raised sia. The company told Reuters on July 11 it was
return to operation. concern that Moscow might not restart the flow, aiming to get the unit there as soon as possible,
to put pressure on Europe to withdraw its sup- noting that “the political export decision is a nec-
port for Ukraine. essary and important first step for the delivery of
“As expected, Nord Stream 1 is at zero since the turbine.”
this morning,” the head of Germany’s energy “Currently, our experts are working inten-
regulator, Klaus Muller, told Reuters on July 11. sively on all further formal approvals and logis-
“What happens at the end of the maintenance, tics,” it said. “Among other things, this involves
nobody is able to say at this moment. We won’t legally required export and import control pro-
know any time sooner than a day before its cedures. Our goal is to transport the turbine to its
scheduled end.” plan of operation as quickly as possible.”
Gazprom already cut gas flows through the According to the Moscow-based Kommer-
55bn cubic metre per year pipeline by up to 60% sant newspaper, however, the unit is still under-
last month, citing technical difficulties relating going tests in Montreal and will not be shipped
to Siemens’ failure to return a turbine to the until July 14. It will be transported first to Ger-
Portovaya compressor station in Russia that had many, and then to Russia, which is expected to
been sent off for repairs. The German company take at least two weeks. And then installation will
previously said it was unable to return the unit, take a few more days to complete, suggesting that
which was repaired in Canada, owing to Western Nord Stream 1’s capacity will remain constrained
sanctions. until August.™

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