Leaks from Nord Stream gas pipelines: bubbling seen in the Baltic Sea?


Within two days, both gas pipelines were affected by leaks. Danish and Swedish authorities are investigating suspicions of sabotage.





SourceAFP


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VSOntroversial and out of service due to the war in Ukraine, the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia to Germany were both suddenly affected by unexplained leaks in the Baltic Sea, Danish and Swedish authorities announced on Tuesday, September 27, sparking concerns suspicion of sabotage. The day after the announcement of a leak in the parallel Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany was in turn affected by two very rare gas leaks in the Baltic Sea, the authorities indicated on Tuesday. authorities of the two Nordic countries.

Copenhagen immediately placed its energy infrastructure on alert, while considering that it was “too early” to comment on the causes of these simultaneous incidents. Objects of geopolitical arm wrestling in recent months, the two pipelines operated by a consortium dependent on the Russian giant Gazprom are not operational because of the consequences of the war in Ukraine. But both were still full of gas.

The Danish authorities confirmed Tuesday morning “two more leaks in the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, which is also not operational, but which contains gas”, indicated the Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, Dan Jørgensen. A spokesperson for the Swedish maritime authority confirmed to AFP the detection of the two new leaks, located as for Nord Stream 2 off the Danish island of Bornholm. The leaks on Nord Stream 1 take place outside territorial waters but one is in the exclusive economic zone of Denmark, the other in that of Sweden.

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Vast bubbling observed in the Baltic Sea

The three large leaks identified off the Danish island of Bornholm are visible on the surface with bubbling ranging from 200 to 1 kilometer in diameter, announced the Danish army, with impressive images in support. “The greatest [bouillonnement] agitates the surface over a good kilometer in diameter. The smallest makes a circle about 200 meters in diameter, ”she explains in a press release.

Security measures put in place

Just like the leak noted the day before on Nord Stream 2, security measures have been taken. “Gas pipeline leaks are extremely rare and we therefore see a reason to increase the level of vigilance following the incidents we have witnessed in the last 24 hours”, explained in a press release the director of the Danish agency. of Energy, Kristoffer Böttzauw, promising “thorough monitoring of Denmark’s critical infrastructure”.

Concrete measures to increase the safety of factories and installations will have to be put in place by companies in the sector. Navigation within a radius of five nautical miles (about 9 kilometers), as well as their overflight within a radius of one kilometer are prohibited. “The incidents on the two pipelines have no impact on supply to Denmark,” Dan Jørgensen said. Monday evening, the operator of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines had reported a drop in pressure in the first gas pipeline, after the detection of a leak in the second.

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Built in parallel to the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was intended to double the capacity for importing Russian gas into Germany. But its impending commissioning has been suspended, in retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Suspicions of sabotage

German authorities did not immediately comment. But, according to a source close to the German government, quoted by the German daily Tagesspiegel, “everything speaks against a coincidence”. “We cannot imagine a scenario that is not a targeted attack,” said this source.

For the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, “it is difficult to imagine that it is accidental” and sabotage must not be “excluded”. “It’s unusual to have three leaks far apart. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine that it is accidental,” Mette Frederiksen told Danish media on the sidelines of a trip to Poland about the gas leaks detected off the Danish island of Bornholm.




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