Gazprom: potential of Nord Stream to be used to its maximum
The potential of both branches of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, connecting Russia and Germany via the bottom of the Baltic Sea, will be used at the maximum level, as the gas pipeline will be filled, the deputy chairman of Gazprom OAO, A. Medvedev, said.
The potential of the gas pipeline will be used to its maximun and the branch will be loaded with both new and old gas, Mr. Medvedev said. He answered in the affirmative to the question if the entire gas pipeline would be filled with gas.
We naturally leave some reserves in case of seasonal or other changes, he said. Any project of such a scale requires a certain period to work at the full capacity. So the loading of both branches of the Nord Stream will be held in conformity with the schedule and it is wrong to think that the potential of the gas pipeline is used ineffectively. It is being used according to the existing schedule without any deviations, Mr. Medvedev said.
The first line of the gas pipeline was launched on November 8th 2011. The shareholders of the Nord Stream are Gazprom (51%), Wintershall Holding and E.On Ruhrgas (15.5% each), GDF Suez Gasunie (9% each).
The first branch was reported to be loaded for 30-40% of the maximum capacity during the first years of operation, at the volume of 9 bln cubic meters.
The second line of the Nord Stream was launched on Monday, so the capacity of the gas pipeline doubled – to 55 bln cubic meters a year.
The Nord Stream is an extremely new route for the export of the Russian gas to Europe. The gas pipeline with the length of 1.22 thousand km goes via the bottom of the Baltic Sea from Russia(Vyborg) to Germany (Greiswald). Before the launch of this route the Russian gas had been shipped to the Western Europe by 2 routes – via the territoryof Belarus and then Poland and via the Ukraine and then Slovakia. 2/3 of the supplies were held by the latter route. With the start of the 1st line of the Nord Stream the gas from Russia started to be shipped directly toGermany and other countries in the Western Europe.
http://www.oilru.com/news/340345/
Translated by Galiya Musabekova
