Nord Stream Ceases Gas Through Pipeline to Prepare for Line Two
The Nord Stream consortium has shut down gas supply through Nord Stream line one, the Dow Jones news agency has reported, as part of its preparations for the opening of the pipeline's second line.
The pipeline will be shut off temporarily for today only for a period of eight hours, halting gas transit, which currently reaches 27.5 billion cubic metres a year. Preparation is currently ongoing to ready the second line of the pipeline. The pipeline is due to open from the 8th of October.
When online, the second pipeline will bring the total capacity of the Nord Stream pipeline to 55 billion cubic metres a year. The gas will be carried through the Baltic Sea to Europe, bringing gas supply from major stakeholder Gazprom.
Gazprom holds a 51 per cent stake in the pipeline. Wintershall Holding and E.ON Ruhrgas each hold a 15.5 per cent stake. GDF Suez and Gasunie hold the remaining two stakes of 9 per cent each.