Gazprom announced the suspension of gas supply via Nord Stream from August 31 to September 2. The only working Trent 60 gas compressor unit at the Portovaya compressor station will be stopped for maintenance and planned preventive work.
“A number of routine maintenance will be carried out jointly with Siemens experts under the current maintenance contract,” the statement said. Message Russian company.
Gas transport will be brought back to the level of 33 million cubic meters. m per day after the completion of work and the absence of technical malfunctions of the unit.
“According to Siemens technical documentation, it is necessary to maintain the unit every 1000 hours, this includes: inspection of the housing for cracks, dents, deformations, burn spots, cleaning of the housing; removing oil supply systems, air, combustion gases for leaks, opening connections and eliminating the causes of leaks; checking the performance of safety valves and installing the air flow control system, ”explained Gazprom.
Gas costs more than $2700
Gas price in Europe at the time of trading, against the backdrop of a message about the suspension of supply augmented For the first time since the beginning of March, it exceeded 5% and exceeded $2,700. Futures cost $2,712 per 1,000 cubic meters at a virtual point of sale in the Netherlands. m At the same time, the total increase in the daily cost of gas was more than 8%.
Earlier, Gazprom said that the company did not rule out that gas prices in Europe could rise above the record level of $4,000 per 1,000 cubic meters during the winter months.
The price increase is also affected by rising spot gas prices in Asia, the shutdown of a number of gas production and transport facilities in Norway due to scheduled repairs, as well as rising temperatures in Europe and a decline in wind production.
One turbine, two pipelines
For 7.5 months of the year, Gazprom reduced its gas exports to non-CIS countries by 36.2%. Now the company supplies up to 78.5 billion cubic meters. m Since July 27, the Nord Stream gas pipeline has been operating at only 20% of its maximum capacity. The reason for the drop in delivery volume was, among other things, the non-return of the Siemens turbine, which was sent to Canada for repair and remained there due to sanctions.
The German authorities agreed with Canada that they would first take the turbine to themselves and then hand it over to Gazprom in order to circumvent the sanctions. Currently, the turbine is still located in Germany. Even Siemens Energy suggested Create a Spotify playlist for Turbine so it isn’t “left alone”.
Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the Russian side should stop using “deceptive” arguments and buy the engine.
EU countries continue to rapidly fill underground storage facilities against the decrease in Russia’s gas supply volume. Previously, they promised to fill the UGS at least 80% by next winter.
Now, the level of gas reserves exceeds 75%, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe. Stocks are replenished by purchasing liquefied natural gas at ultra-high tariffs.
Due to the decrease in supply via Nord Stream, calls are increasingly being heard for the launch of the completed Nord Stream 2. Earlier, the mayors of seven small towns on the German island of Rügen wrote a letter to the German government demanding that the pipeline be launched, thereby ensuring the country’s energy security. “We are of the opinion that the route proposed by the federal government to abandon the Russian energy carriers is not correct,” DPA quoted the message.
The day before, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, advised ordinary Europeans to hold the authorities to account for the sanctions against Russia, which led to “cold in apartments and empty shelves in refrigerators”.
“The benefit is obvious – in Russia in winter it is much warmer and more comfortable than the magnificent insulation when the gas stove is turned off and the battery is cold”,
– Wrote The ex-president of Russia is on Telegram.
Nord Stream 2, 2,460 kilometers long, runs through the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Capable of pumping up to 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia to Germany, it was ready for operation in September 2021. After recognizing the sovereignty of the Donbass republics, the German authorities stopped the certification of the pipeline.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.