The Swedish Coast Guard reported that a gas leak from the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline continues. “The smaller leak at Nord Stream 2 has increased today compared to yesterday’s size, and is about 30 meters,” the service’s press release says .
In addition, the Coast Guard informs that it is taking the necessary measures as part of an environmental rescue operation due to the fact that the gas release may continue for some time.
Earlier today, on October 3, Gazprom announced the stabilization of pressure and the cessation of gas leaks from the places of damage to Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, the information was published by the TASS agency, citing a message from the holding.
"The pressure in the line A of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and both lines of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline stabilized after the breaks, gas leaks stopped," it was reported. Gazprom is also currently pumping gas from the undamaged Nord Stream 2 string to conduct an integrity survey. The holding is ready to pump gas into the gas pipeline when making a decision to start deliveries via Nord Stream 2.
Mikhail Krutikhin, a partner at RusEnergy, noted in an interview with The Insider that the leak, despite Gazprom's statements, was not stopped.
“When TASS reported about the stabilization of pressure, it is not known whether this was the working pressure in the gas pipeline filled with gas, or whether it was the stabilization of atmospheric pressure. The most stable condition for a patient is when he is taken to a pathologist. Therefore, what kind of pressure stabilized there is not clear. If the gas rises to the surface again, as reported from Sweden, then you have to believe those who watch the bubbles on the surface of the water.
This is an ongoing leak from one or more holes, because no new explosions have been noted there. As practice shows, it is absolutely impossible to trust Gazprom and, moreover, TASS.
The fact is that at the bottom, as a result of this gas release, movement of the soil could occur, which is used to fill the gas pipeline during its laying. They could block the hole with some stones for a while, and then the gas broke through this ballast to the outside, so there is nothing surprising here, ”says Krutikhin.
On October 1, the UN reported that breaches in the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline system in the Baltic Sea resulted in what was probably the largest methane release ever recorded. A huge methane plume is visible on satellite images.
The total amount of methane leaked from Gazprom's pipeline system could be higher than the large leak that occurred in December at offshore oil and gas fields in Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This accident released about 40,000 tons of methane in 17 days. This is equivalent to burning 499 million kilograms of coal.
Leaks on two lines of Nord Stream 1 and one line of Nord Stream 2 became known on September 26. The Swedish Foreign Ministry said earlier that explosions were the cause of the leaks. On September 29, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case on an act of international terrorism.