Named the main winner of the sabotage at the Nord Stream

Named the main winner of the sabotage at the Nord Stream



Ukraine becomes the main territory for deliveries

Three strings of Russia's largest export gas pipeline, Nord Stream, were severely damaged in one day. Neither Germany nor Russia rule out sabotage. The Swedish seismic station recorded two explosions. The destruction was recognized by the operator Nord Stream AG as "unprecedented". What happened to the gas pipelines, what damage has been done to them and how quickly can it be restored? Who will benefit and who will lose from the accident? Financial analyst, fuel and energy expert Fedor Sidorov answers.

- How justified can be the version of sabotage on the three lines of the pipeline?

- Such large infrastructure projects with high environmental and technological risks are always under constant supervision. Spontaneous destruction, for example, due to corrosion, deformation and the like on one line of the gas pipeline would still be possible. But not three at once! Therefore, the version of a targeted sabotage, which resulted in an emergency, may well be confirmed. It is technically possible to do this - the pipes run at a depth of only 50-100 meters, which is achievable for scuba divers or descent vehicles.

Location of gas leak from Nord Stream showed on video

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- How quickly can the cause of the incident be clarified and what consequences will the destruction of gas pipelines lead to?

- According to the European authorities, finding out the causes of the incident and the restoration of pipelines may take several months. Stopping the technical pumping of gas at Nord Stream 2 and gas supplies via Nord Stream 1 has already affected European prices - the cost of a thousand cubic meters of gas has risen to $2,000.

- Who, in your opinion, benefits the most from what happened?

- With the loss of Russian export routes, the Ukrainian GTS becomes the main beneficiary - this line becomes the main one for the supply of Russian raw materials to Europe. In addition, on October 1, the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline will be put into operation, through which fuel from Norway will be delivered to Poland through Denmark.

The rest of the "beneficiaries" of the breakdowns of Russian gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea will become known in the near future, when the EU starts declaring that it is necessary to increase pumping along certain routes, among which any gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system are in danger of not being included.

- Is it possible to estimate the losses of the Russian side from the shutdown of the Nord Stream?

- Since the summer of this year, due to problems with the repair and maintenance of gas turbines, the flow through Nord Stream 1 has been reduced to 20% of the maximum throughput - daily traffic has fallen to 35 million cubic meters. The current quotes of "blue fuel", according to the intercontinental exchange ICE, are at the level of $1,900 per thousand cubic meters. If such a cost of "blue fuel" is maintained, over the remaining three months of the year, our country could earn about $6 billion from supplies through the disabled pipeline.

Read the material "Sabotage against Nord Stream: who could blow up the pipes at the bottom"



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