In accordance with the schedule: Gazprom laid 48% of Nord Stream - 2

To date, Gazprom has laid more than 1,170 km of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea. This is 48% of the total planned length of the line, the company said.

In "Gazprom" noted that the laying of the sea part of the "Nord Stream - 2" is strictly in accordance with the schedule. On April 30, work began on the construction of a gas pipeline in Russian waters.

Recall, “Nord Stream - 2” is two threads of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year, directed from the coast of Russia in the Baltic Sea to Germany.

Highway intend to enter into operation until the end of 2019. This was previously stated in the company.

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“We are working on the development of measures to preserve the project in the schedule. I can say that at the moment, the chance or the likelihood of building a gas pipeline and launching it until the end of this year remains, ”RIA Novosti reports that Dmitry Khandoga, Deputy Head of the Department for Foreign Economic Activities of Gazprom.

A company spokesman recalled that the project still lacks the last permission from Denmark. However, according to him, this section of the gas pipeline can be left for construction last.

“In Germany, the pipe is already laid, so we can work on the entire continuation of the route with the exception of Denmark, and at the end, when permission is granted, we can put a small section that will remain in Denmark, depending on the decision that will be made by the Danish authorities” Said Handog.

USA v. Nord Stream 2

At the beginning of May, the United States and Slovakia published a joint statement in the White House following the results of joint negotiations between the heads of two states, in which they spoke out against the construction of the Nord Stream - 2. The document called the gas pipeline "geopolitical weapon."

“We reiterate our rejection of the use of energy projects as geopolitical weapons, including Nord Stream 2,” the report says. Signatories also noted support for reverse gas supplies to Ukraine.

“We continue to firmly support the sovereignty, territorial integrity and energy security of Ukraine, including through Slovak reverse gas supplies to Ukraine,” the statement reads.

Prior to this, US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said that gas supplies from Russia allegedly could not be considered reliable. Speaking at an energy forum in Brussels, he noted that American LNG would be a great alternative to Russian fuel for European countries.

In addition, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he intends to discuss the Nord Stream - 2 during the upcoming meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to him, Washington is concerned about the energy security and “dependence on Russia” of European countries. Merkel herself has previously denied this possibility and said that Berlin will diversify the supply of resources.

At the same time, the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer announced support for the "Nord Stream - 2". As she said in an interview with Das Bild, the importance of gas for Germany is growing due to the abandonment of nuclear energy and coal.

EU gas directive

Earlier, the EU Council formally approved amendments to the EU Gas Directive. This document covers a number of requirements for offshore gas pipelines.

Among such measures are banding (a ban on a gas producing company simultaneously owning a gas pipeline), access by third parties, a non-discriminatory tariff and transparency. At the same time, the amendments provide for the possibility of granting exemptions for existing and new gas pipelines.

Shortly before the adoption of the document, the European Parliament stated that the EU Gas Directive was not directed against any country or supplier.

In turn, the operator of the Nord Stream - 2, the company Nord Stream 2 AG, stressed that she would continue working on the highway and assess the legal initiative later - she will have to go through several formal procedures.

Nord Stream 2 AG expressed the opinion that Nord Stream 2 will make a positive contribution to achieving the EU’s energy goals, as the gas pipeline will provide an additional supply route for importing natural gas.

“The prospects for the development of gas demand in Europe convincingly speak in favor of this project. The project continues in full compliance with the current legislation and with the full support of financial investors, ”the company said in April.

Nord Stream 2 AG also sent a letter of amendment to the Gas Directive to the European Commission. The operator "Nord Stream - 2" in the document asked for clarification whether the gas pipeline under construction will be eligible for exclusion from the standards approved by the Council of EU countries

The document states that exemptions may be extended to gas pipelines that will be “completed” by the time the document enters into force, which may occur in the summer of 2019. "Nord Stream - 2" should be completed by this date, it is believed in the company, but will be put into operation later. The company asked to clarify in which case the gas pipeline will be considered “completed”.

At the same time, Nord Stream 2 noted that the failure to provide an exception to “Nord Stream 2” would violate the Energy Charter, since the document prohibits discrimination of individual projects.

The document also stated that the gas pipeline would have a beneficial effect on the economic indicators of the EU. Thus, the construction and operation of the project led to the emergence of 31 thousand jobs. In addition, it is expected that investments related to the project will lead to an increase in the EU's GDP of € 5 billion.