Controversial and out of service due to the war in Ukraine, the Nordstream gas pipelines linking Russia to Germany have both been suddenly hit by unexplained leaks in the Baltic Sea, Danish and Swedish authorities announced on Tuesday (September 27th), raising suspicions of sabotage.
The day after the announcement of a leak in the parallel Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany was in turn affected by two very rare gas leaks in the Baltic Sea. Copenhagen immediately placed its energy infrastructure on alert, while believing that it was ” too early “ to speak out about the causes of these simultaneous incidents.
Objects of geopolitical arm wrestling in recent months, the two pipelines operated by a consortium dependent on the Russian giant Gazprom are not operational because of the consequences of the war in Ukraine. But both were still full of gas.
The Kremlin said to itself “extremely concerned”considering that it should not be excluded ” none “ hypothesis, including that of sabotage.
“Extremely rare gas pipeline leaks”
After the announcement Monday evening by the consortium operating the gas pipelines of a sudden drop in pressure on Nord Stream 1, the Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, Dan Jorgensen, and the Swedish maritime authorities confirmed on Tuesday morning “two more leaks” in addition to that affecting Nord Stream 2.
All three are located off the Danish island of Bornholm. The leaks on Nord Stream 1 take place outside territorial waters but one is in the exclusive economic zone of Denmark, the other in that of Sweden.
“Gas pipeline leaks are extremely rare and we therefore see reason to increase the level of vigilance following the incidents we have witnessed over the past twenty-four hours”explained in a press release the director of the Danish Energy Agency, Kristoffer Böttzauw, promising “in-depth monitoring of Denmark’s critical infrastructure”.
The alert level was raised to orange, the second highest. Concrete measures to increase the safety of factories and installations will have to be put in place by companies in the sector.
“Everything speaks against a coincidence”
Built in parallel to the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was intended to double the capacity for importing Russian gas into Germany. But its impending commissioning has been suspended, in retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Gazprom gradually reduced volumes of gas delivered by Nord Stream 1 until the pipeline closed completely at the end of August, blaming Western sanctions for delaying necessary repairs to the pipeline.
German authorities did not immediately comment. But, according to a source close to the German government, quoted by the German daily Tagesspiegel “everything speaks against a coincidence”. “We cannot imagine a scenario that is not a targeted attack”insisted this source.
Navigation within a radius of five nautical miles (about 9 kilometers), as well as their overflight within a radius of one kilometer are prohibited. According to the authorities, the incidents have no consequences for the safety or health of residents of the neighboring Danish islands of Bornholm and Christianso.
The environmental impact should be local and limited, according to initial assessments. On Tuesday, the Danish Prime Minister inaugurates with her Norwegian and Polish colleagues the Baltic Pipe, a gas pipeline linking Poland to Norway and passing through the territory and waters of the Scandinavian country.