Denmark Suggests Alternative Route to Nord Stream 2
Denmark has “suggested” Nord Stream 2 looks at an alternative route, the country’s energy ministry told Natural Gas World March 28, while denying it had refused permission to cross its territorial waters.
A spokesperson for Denmark’s ministry of energy denied reports from March 27 that the country has turned down the application of Nord Stream 2 AG (NS 2) to build the pipeline through its waters. Polish reports March 28 claimed that the Russian-led project, which would carry 55bn m3/yr of gas directly to Germany, could face “years” of delay.
“The reports are not true,” the spokesperson said. “We have not turned down the route that Nord Stream has suggested. The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) has suggested Nord Stream 2 looks at an alternative route.”
Naftogaz, Ukraine’s national gas company, claimed in a March 27 tweet that Denmark had refused NS 2’s application to build a 180-km stretch of the pipeline under the Baltic Sea through its territorial waters. Copenhagen blocked an earlier application for a construction permit. NS 2, which has built a significant section of the pipeline on either side of the Danish waters already, filed another application last year.
"Gazprom saw another refusal from Denmark on the Nord Stream 2 route," the Naftogaz press service tweeted.
Polish energy portal BiznesAlert.pl distributed March 28 what it says is an internal company letter sent by the president of Nord Stream 2 AG Matthias Warnig confirming the decision of the DEA. The missive notes that NS 2 can appeal, but suggests the decision is clear, and that Denmark wants NS 2 to submit an application for a new “southern route”. Warnig apparently warns that the project could be delayed by “years”.
A spokesperson for Nord Stream 2 said on March 25 that the company expects to receive approval from Danish authorities in time to finish the pipeline by the end of 2019 as planned.