Page 10 - FSUOGM Week 40 2022

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Germany says three out of four Nord Stream

pipelines damaged beyond repair

GERMANY GERMAN authorities have said that the dam- submarines or advanced underwater technology
age to three of the four Nord Stream pipelines is must have been involved.
Sabotage is widely beyond repair and those sections can never be
considered the cause. used again, The Tagesspiegel reported on Sep- There is little doubt that this was an attack and
tember 28. not an accident, as there is a significant distance
German security services said that the three between the three holes in the three pipelines
tubes of the pipeline will be unable to be used where the leaks originated and these all appeared
again unless they are repaired quickly, as a lot within a few hours of each other.
of salt water will run in and corrode the pipe- So far, pundits have suggested that Russia, the
lines, The Tagesspiegel learned from government US, Ukrainian special forces and Poland could
circles. have been responsible.
According to the Danish Energy Agency, German Economics Minister Robert Habeck
more than half of the gas has already escaped (Green Party) warned of the danger of further
from the affected lines. The lines will probably acts of sabotage. “Of course, the critical infra-
be empty by October 2, the head of the agency, structure is a potential target,” said the Vice
Kristoffer Böttzauw, said at a press conference on Chancellor. “But Germany is a country that
September 28. knows how to defend itself and Europe is a con-
The twin Nord Stream 1 & 2 pipelines, which tinent that can protect its energy infrastructure.”
are made up of two pipes each, were hit by an Norway, currently one of the most important
explosion at the weekend and sprang leaks that suppliers of non-Russian gas to Europe, has mas-
saw pressure in both sets of pipelines fall to sively strengthened the protection of its pipeline
nothing. system.
After Sweden’s seismological services con- The European Union also considers sabotage
firmed there was an explosion in the vicinity of to be the likely cause of the leaks in the Nord
the pipes during the evening of September 25, Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines and has threatened
speculation has been rife over who was respon- to take countermeasures.
sible for the attack on a major piece of European “All available information indicates that these
energy infrastructure. leaks are the result of a deliberate act,” said EU
The explosions happened just outside Danish foreign policy chief Josep Borrell the same day,
territorial waters at a depth of 80-90m, according reported Tagesspiegel. Any intentional disrup-
to German reports, making an attack a techni- tion to Europe’s energy infrastructure will “be
cally difficult operation and suggesting either met with a robust and collective response.”

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 40 06•October•2022