October futures for gas traded at 2,810.5 dollars per thousand cubic meters, up 26.6 percent, according to Europe’s main TTF index, as reported by RIA Novosti. The peak reached 2,917.4 dollars per thousand cubic meters, a 31.4 percent jump. Futures later stood at 2,733.2 dollars per thousand cubic meters, up 23 percent.
On August 19, Gazprom posted on its Telegram channel that from August 31 the only operating gas compressor unit Trent 60 would be shut for three days for maintenance and scheduled preventive work. The company noted that the routine maintenance would be conducted jointly with Siemens experts under the existing contract. Later, Siemens denied that its personnel would participate in the repair.
Gazprom explained that, according to Siemens’ technical documentation, the unit requires service every 1,000 hours. The maintenance steps included inspecting the unit for cracks or deformation, cleaning and checking for leaks, removing oil and air from the system, testing safety valves, and adjusting the airflow control.
The Russian company later stated that gas transport would be restored to 33 million cubic meters per day on September 2, depending on the completion of work and the absence of technical malfunctions.
Nord Stream shutdown extended indefinitely
On September 2 it became clear that Nord Stream could not be restarted as planned because the Trent 60 gas pumping unit showed an oil leak from the cable line connectors, with issues in the sealing compounds and rotor speed sensors under low and medium pressure.
The oil was detected in the cable plug connection of the BPE2 subplate on the engine. Oil appeared in the wiring area inside the external terminal box of the GPA automatic control system, in addition to the heat insulation casing. Siemens representatives and Gazprom’s Telegram channel confirmed the oil leak findings in their respective reports.
Rostekhnadzor warned that detected malfunctions and damage prevent safe operation of the gas turbine engine. In light of these violations, the Trent 60 unit’s operation was suspended until the issues are resolved, and gas transport to the Nord Stream pipeline was completely halted.
Gazprom announced a letter had been sent to Christian Bruch, President and CEO of Siemens Energy AG, outlining the malfunctions and the need for their correction.
“Siemens is participating in repairs under the current contract, identifying faults, signing oil leak reports, and ready to repair. But there is nowhere to perform the repairs,” Gazprom stated on its Telegram channel on September 3.
Delivery restrictions to Europe
The Nord Stream shutdown deprived European customers of 33 million cubic meters of gas per day, or about one billion cubic meters per month. Gas deliveries through the pipeline had been falling since mid-June after sanctions targeted Nord Stream turbine repairs. One turbine had stalled during repairs in Canada.
On June 14, Gazprom limited operations at the Portovaya compressor station that feeds Nord Stream, citing the delayed return of gas pumping units from repair by Siemens. Daily output dropped to 100 million cubic meters. By June 15, another Siemens turbine stopped functioning, reducing daily capacity at the compressor to 67 million cubic meters.
Since late July, Nord Stream’s production has held at roughly 20 percent of its initial capacity of about 170 million cubic meters per day, with Nord Stream 1 operating on a single turbine. In mid-July both lines underwent a 10-day maintenance window, which curtailed gas flow. At that time, Russian gas continued to flow to Europe through a single transit line via Ukraine.
Citations: Reuters and official company statements were used to verify the timeline and technical details. Further context is provided by industry reports and regulatory notes.