Russia’s unexpected move on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

Energy Corporation Gazprom said it will use the onshore capacity of Nord Stream 2 (Northern Stream 2) – designed to pump natural gas to Germany – for Russia’s domestic market.

“As the Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline is currently not in use and taking into account the need for gas supply by consumers in Northwestern Russia, Gazprom has decided to use the onshore gas transmission capacity. surplus of Nord Stream 2 to develop gas supplies for the Northwestern regions of Russia” – RT quoted Gazprom’s announcement on the official Telegram account.

Gazprom notes that only half of Nord Stream 2’s capacity will be supplied to Europe if gas pipeline allowed to operate in the future.

“If the German side decides to operate Nord Stream 2, then only one line of the pipeline with 100% capacity can be put into operation” – Gazprom said, adding that “the operation of the offshore route Nord Stream 2’s second may not start until 2028.”

Once operational, Nord Stream 2 will bring natural gas from Russia to Europe. The pipeline runs from Russia directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea, parallel to Nord Stream 1. Nord Stream 2 will not significantly increase Russia’s natural gas exports to Europe, experts say. it is rerouteable – meaning more natural gas will flow directly to Germany and potentially bypassing other existing pipelines that run through other European countries, the most significant of which are Ukraine.

The United States views this gas pipeline as a geopolitical tool of Russia to undermine the energy security and national security of Europe. Ukraine also sees this direction and wants the gas pipeline to stop working. Once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Russia will no longer have to pay shipping fees to transit gas through Ukraine, and both Russia and Europe will have less dependence on pipelines running through Ukraine.

Construction of Nord Stream 2 was completed in September 2021 and by December the pipeline was ready to go into operation. However, German authorities stopped certifying the pipeline before the conflict in Ukraine. Pipeline Nord Stream 2 is supposed to pump 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia to Germany when it comes into operation.