Page 9 - FSUOGM Week 28 2022

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Canadian sanctions exemption will allow

return of up to six turbines to support

Nord Stream gas flow

CANADA A sanctions exemption issued by the Canadian needed to install the turbine at the Portovaya
government to enable the return of a Siemens compressor station that handles Nord Stream’s
Previously it was turbine to Russia’s Nord Stream pipeline will last gas.
thought that the for up to two years from now, making possible This means that even if Nord Stream 2 comes
exemptiion only applied the import and re-export of a further five tur- back on stream on July 21, its capacity will
to six turbines. bines to the project, Canada’s Global and Mail remain constrained for the rest of the month.
reported on July 12. A further five Nord Stream turbines are due
Canada provided the exemption as a result to be sent off to Siemens Canada for repairs over
of pressure from Germany, as Russia had said the next two years.
that Nord Stream cannot resume full operations Approached by the Globe and Mail, Siemens
until the turbine had been returned. However, Energy spokesperson Ann Adair said the com-
the arrangement was not previously disclosed to pany had no comment to make on the sanctions
be so extensive. exemption. The press secretary to Canadian
Government officials told the Globe and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly could
Mail on July 12 that Global Affairs Canada had neither confirm or deny the two-year time-
granted Siemens an exemption under Canada’s frame, but said “these turbines follow a regular
Russia sanctions for two years. One of the offi- maintenance schedule which was passed due to
cials noted though that Canada would be able to sanctions.”
revoke the exemption at any time. “The maintenance schedule now restarts for
Russia cut gas flow via Nord Stream to 40% a limited period of time. However, the minister
of capacity last month, citing technical difficul- can revoke the permit at any time,” the press sec-
ties as a result of Siemens’ failure to return the retary said.
turbine that had been sent off for repairs. This Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada, Yulia
prompted Germany and several other European Kovaliv, expressed disappointment, noting that
countries to complain of cuts in their contractual “the revenues from gas and oil are directly sup-
Russian gas flows. The pipeline is offline anyway porting the Russian military. To waver even for
now for scheduled annual maintenance, which two years, and showing Gazprom can get what
Gazprom has said will last until July 21. it wants, is a dangerous precedent,” she said in
The turbine in question is currently stranded an interview on July 12. “They are stamping the
in Montreal as a result of sanctions. According status quo on weaponising energy.”
to the Moscow-based Kommersant newspaper, Ukrainian advocacy group, the Ukrainian
even with the sanctions exemption now in place, World Congress, has filed a legal challenge of
the unit will not get shipped to Europe until July the government’s decision in federal court. In
14. It will be transported first to Germany, and the challenge, the group said that the permit was
then to Russia – a journey which is expected to “unreasonable, unjustifiable, and contrary to the
take at least two weeks. A few more days will be stated purpose of Canada’s sanction regime.” ™

Week 28 13•July•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P9