Russia has granted a permit to Nord Stream 2 to install a 114km long underwater pipeline in its territorial waters as part of the company’s €8bn ($9.1bn) inter-country offshore export gas pipeline project.
Image: The Nord Stream 2 offshore export gas pipeline has secured all necessary approvals it needs from Russia. Photo: courtesy of Nord Stream 2.
The Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline project has been designed to deliver Russian natural gas to the European Union via the Baltic Sea.
Its latest permit has been issued by the Federal Agency for the Supervision of Natural Resources Use (Rosprirodnadzor) in compliance with the established procedure.
Nord Stream 2 said that practical execution of the pipeline project under the terms of the newly issued permit will commence in the near future. This will be after considering environmental aspects and in line with the completion of the State Environmental Expert Review and the Water Use License, said the Gazprom subsidiary.
Overall, the Nord Stream 2 project will feature two 1,200km long international offshore export gas pipelines which will procure natural gas from the Russian field Bovanenkovo located in Yamal Peninsula and supply it to various parts of Europe.
In June, the Russian Ministry of Construction and Utilities granted a construction permit for the Nord Stream 2 project in the Russian territory. With the approval from Rosprirodnadzor, Nord Stream 2 has all the necessary permits in place for the construction of the Russian segment of the export gas pipeline project.
Nord Stream 2 chief project officer Henning Kothe said: “We are glad to announce that the necessary construction permits in Russia have been granted, meaning that the Nord Stream 2 project is developing according to the planned schedule.
“We will further rely on collaboration with the countries involved to ensure the project is implemented in a timely and efficient manner.”
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is an expansion of the existing Nord Stream offshore natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany through the Baltic Sea, is expected to commence operations in 2019.
The project has been granted permits in Germany, Finland and Sweden apart from Russia for its construction within their jurisdictions. In Denmark, the export gas pipeline project is going through a national permitting procedure.