Page 8 - FSUOGM Week 26 2022

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Germany considers expropriating

Nord Stream 2

RUSSIA GERMANY is considering repurposing parts of Switzerland’s Partners Group and Ham-
Russia’s unused Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline for burg-based Buss Group. Planning approval
The infrastructure could importing LNG, Der Spiegel magazine reported is currently being sought for the €800mn
be used to underpin an on June 27. ($880mn) project. A non-binding round for its
LNG terminal. The government in Berlin suspended the cer- capacity took place in February last year and
tification process necessary for Nord Stream 2 to indicated sufficient interest. A final investment
flow gas, days before Moscow began its invasion decision (FID) is officially targeted for next year,
of Ukraine. With Europe now scrambling to but given Germany’s renewed commitment
sever gas ties with Russia, it is now very doubtful in LNG, the milestone may be reached sooner.
that the project will be put to commercial use. Operations are due to start in 2026.
According to Der Spiegel, the German gov- Uniper, meanwhile, is pursuing a 7.5 bcm
ernment is looking at expropriating the German per year project in Wilhelmshaven, which failed
section of Nord Stream 2, by cutting it off from to secure sufficient capacity booking interest in
the rest of the pipeline and converting it into the past, but is now back on the table. Uniper
a connection for an LNG terminal. Kremlin announced on May 5 it had chartered two float-
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 24 that ing storage and regasification units (FSRUs) for
Moscow could not comment on the report by the the project, which is due online in two stages in
newspaper, saying such steps would be a matter 2022-23 and 2025. A second, 2.2 bcm per year
for lawyers to discuss. FSRU has been proposed in Wilhelmshaven
Germany has embraced LNG as part of a by Tree Energy Solution, with a launch target
drastic shift in its energy policy. The country of 2025. Finally, Gasunie wants to launch an 8
currently does not buy any LNG, relying instead bcm per year facility in 2026 in Brunsbuettel,
on mostly gas from Russia and the North Sea. all sooner if progress is fast. The project secured
There are now four LNG import projects in play backing from Germany energy group RWE in
in Germany that are making significant progress. early March, and is set to get funding from Ger-
The largest of the planned terminals is in man development bank KfW.
Stade, and will have a capacity of 12 bcm per Der Spiegel did not say which LNG termi-
year. It is backed by Hanseatic Energy Hub, nal the government wanted to repurpose Nord
whose shareholders include Belgium’s Fluzys, Stream 2 for. ™

TurkStream returns to operation

TURKEY RUSSIA'S TurkStream gas pipeline has string is used to supply Europe, while the other
returned to operation after a week of mainte- serves the Turkish market.
The maintenance run nance, Gazprom said on its Telegram channel Nord Stream 1 will also shut down for main-
was completed a day on June 27. tenance between July 11 and 21, as it usually
early. The maintenance period was scheduled for does at this time of the year. Meanwhile, the
June 21 to 28, however Gazprom said that gas Yamal-Europe pipeline that normally delivers
flow had resumed at 17:00 GMT on June 27. Russian gas to Germany via Poland has been
The pipeline’s return to operation comes mostly flowing in reverse since December, and a
after some EU countries have either had their transit contract between Gazprom and PGNiG
Russian gas supply cut off or have seen reduc- over this transit has been broken off.
tions in volumes. More recently, Gazprom said Meanwhile, Russia has warned that its ability
earlier this month it was reducing gas supplies to send gas via Ukraine is restricted, as a result
through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Ger- of the Ukrainian operator stopped using the
many by 60%, because of technical difficulties Sokranivka gas metering station due to alleged
at a compressor station. However, European “unauthorised gas withdrawals” by Russian
leaders have dismissed these disruptions as troops after that area fell under Russian control.
politically-motivated. However, Ukraine still claims it can transit con-
TurkStream consists of two strings with a tractual volumes of Russian gas, but says Gaz-
combined capacity of 31.5 bcm per year. One prom is curtailing supply anyway. ™

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 25 22•June•2022