The pipeline, through which more than a third of Russian gas exports to the European Union passes, was shut down for ten days of annual maintenance on July 11.
The flow of Russian natural gas through the pipeline Nord Stream 1 it is likely to restart on time tomorrow, Thursday, after scheduled maintenance work is completed but at a level below the pipeline’s full capacity, two Russian sources familiar with the export plans told Reuters exclusively.
The pipeline, through which more than a third of Russian gas exports to the European Union passes, was shut down for ten days of annual maintenance on July 11.
The Russian sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters the pipeline was expected to resume operations in time. but with less flow from its capacity of about 160 million cubic meters (mcm) per day.
Last month, Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom cut gas exports through the pipeline to 40 percent, citing delays in returning a turbine that Siemens Energy was repairing in Canada.
“Gazprom will return to pre-July 11 levels,” one of the sources said of gas volumes expected through Nord Stream 1 starting tomorrow.
Gazprom and Nord Stream 1 did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. In the past, Gazprom has restarted Nord Stream as scheduled after maintenance work.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that natural gas flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline may be reduced due to problems with other gas pumping units, one of which will be sent for maintenance on July 26.
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which runs on the bottom of the Baltic Sea to Germany, has been at the center of international attention since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.
The West has accused Russia, the world’s largest gas exporter and the world’s second largest supplier of crude oil, of using energy supplies as a tool of coercion.
Russia has rejected the accusations, saying it is a reliable energy supplier.
In a letter dated July 14, however, Gazprom said it was retroactively invoking “force majeure” on supplies from June 14, a legal clause that means it cannot guarantee gas deliveries due to unusual conditions.
Kommersant newspaper reported on Monday, citing officials with knowledge of the situation, that Canada finally airlifted the turbine for Nord Stream 1 to Germany on July 17 after repair work was completed.
Siemens Energy declined to comment.
One of the sources told Reuters on Tuesday that the turbine was not likely to be installed until July 21.
The German finance ministry said on Monday it could not provide information on the turbine’s location.
But a ministry spokesman said the turbine was a spare that was only due to be used from September, meaning its absence could not be the real reason for the reduction in flow ahead of the maintenance work.
RES-EMP
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