Nord Stream 2 to be commissioned before year end — project operator

MOSCOW (TASS): Commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is planned before the end of 2021, the project operator Nord Stream 2 AG said in a statement.

“Today, the sections of the second Nord Stream 2 pipeline laid from the German shore and Danish waters have been connected in a so-called above water tie-in. The opposing pipe strings were lifted from the seabed by the lay barge Fortuna and the pipe ends were cut and fitted together. The welding to connect the two lines took place on a platform located above the water on the side of the vessel. Then the connected pipeline was lowered to the seabed as one continuous string,” the statement said.

“Afterwards, the required pre-commissioning activities will be carried out with the goal to put the pipeline into operation before the end of this year,” the company added.

Earlier on Friday, Gazprom reported that the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was fully completed on the morning of September 10.

Nord Stream 2 includes two lines of the gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The work was suspended in December 2019 after Swiss Allseas abandoned pipe-laying due to the threat of US sanctions. Since December 2020, the construction of the gas pipeline has been resumed.