Incident on the Nord Stream Pipeline (updated 14/11/2022)
Nov. 14, 2022 | Zug, Switzerland |
On 1 November 2022, Danish Geodata Agency granted Nord Stream AG a permit for surveying the pipeline rupture location in the Danish exclusive economic zone.
However, until recently access to the relevant damage sites for a hydrographic survey was not possible due to the exclusion zone established by the Danish Maritime Authority.
On 11 November 2022, the radius of the exclusion zone for maritime navigation has been decreased from 5 nautical miles to 500 meters around the pipeline damage zone. At the same time, the Danish Maritime Authority has granted Nord Stream AG an exemption that allows, under certain conditions, including weather, to approach the damage area at a distance sufficient to carry out part of relevant works.
Immediately after receiving permission to enter the restricted area, the vessel chartered by Nord Stream AG moved into the area of damage and began to survey the pipeline rupture points. The duration of the survey will depend on access restrictions to the damaged area related to weather conditions.
Update 02/11/2022
As of 2 November 2022, Nord Stream AG has completed initial data gathering at the location of the pipeline damage on Line 1 in the Swedish exclusive economic zone.
According to preliminary results of the damage site inspection, technogenic craters with a depth of 3 to 5 meters were found on the seabed at a distance of about 248 m from each other. The section of the pipe between the craters is destroyed, the radius of pipe fragments dispersion is at least 250 m. Experts continue to analyse the survey data.
Update 27/10/2022
A specially equipped vessel chartered by Nord Stream AG arrived at the alleged location of the pipeline damage in the exclusive economic zone of Sweden. After carrying out the calibration works, the specialists will be ready within 24 hours to start the survey of the damaged area that would take 3-5 days according to current estimates.
As part of the survey of the gas pipeline section in the Danish exclusive economic zone, Nord Stream AG still awaits the decision of the authorities on granting necessary permits for the damage assessment.
Update 04/10/2022
In line with the calculated expectations, the pressure in both lines of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline stabilised as of Monday, October 3, 2022.
As of today, Nord Stream AG is unable to inspect the damaged sections of the gas pipeline due to the lack of earlier requested necessary permits.
In particular, according to the Swedish authorities, a ban on shipping, anchoring, diving, using of underwater vehicles, geophysical mapping, etc. has been introduced to conduct a state investigation around the damage sites in the Baltic Sea.
According to information received from the Danish authorities, the processing time of the Nord Stream AG request for the survey may take more than 20 working days.
Nord Stream AG remains in close contact with relevant authorities.
Moreover, the owner of the appropriately equipped survey vessel chartered by Nord Stream AG still doesn’t have “green light from Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs” to depart.
Update 29/09/2022
Nord Stream AG intends to start assessing the damage to the pipeline as soon as it receives necessary official permits. Access to the area of incidents may be allowed only after the pressure in the gas pipeline has stabilised and the gas leakage has stopped.
Until the completion of the damage assessment, it is not possible to predict the timeframe for restoration of the gas transmission infrastructure.
Update 27/09/2022
The significant pressure drop caused by the gas leak on both lines of the gas pipeline registered yesterday leads to a strong assumption of the pipeline physical damage.
Nord Stream AG immediately informed the relevant coast guards about the incident. The positions of two assumed damages have been identified and are located north-east from Bornholm in Swedish and Danish EEZ, respectively.
Currently the Swedish and Danish maritime authorities established a 5nm safety zone around the identified locations (Nautical information | Danish Maritime Authority (dma.dk)).
Nord Stream AG has started mobilization of all necessary resources for a survey campaign to assess the damages in cooperation exchange with relevant local authorities. Currently, it is not possible to estimate a timeframe for restoring the gas transport infrastructure. The causes of the incident will be clarified as a result of the investigation.
26/09/2022
Pressure drop on both strings of the gas pipeline
Tonight, the dispatchers of the Nord Stream 1 control center registered a pressure drop on both strings of the gas pipeline.
The reasons are being investigated.
