Methane Release from Nord Stream Pipelines

Posted on Last modified on Comments
"102"
Views 306

ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 26th June. Click Here for more information.

Source– This post on Nord Stream pipelines has been created based on the article “Nord Stream pipeline leak: Methane released in Baltic Sea remains in water” published in “India today” on 21 June 2024.

Why in the news?

According to a new study, a significant portion of the methane gas released from the ruptured Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea last September never reached the atmosphere.

Nord Stream 1 Y 2
Source: info.techwallp.xyz

Findings on Methane Release from Nord Stream Pipelines

1. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have discovered that a significant portion of methane gas released from the ruptured Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea last September never reached the atmosphere.
2. Instead, between 10,000 to 50,000 tonnes of Methane (the potent greenhouse gas) dissolved into the surrounding seawater.
3. Explosions along the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in late September 2022 resulted in one of the largest unintentional methane releases ever recorded.
4. While some methane formed visible plumes on the water’s surface, a substantial amount dissolved at various depths in the Baltic Sea.

About Nord Stream 1

1. Nord Stream 1 is a 1,224 km underwater gas pipeline running from Vyborg in northwest Russia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany via the Baltic Sea.

2.  It is primarily owned by the Russian energy giant Gazprom and is the main network for gas delivery to Germany.

3. Most of the gas is directly supplied to Germany, while the remainder is distributed west and south through onshore links to other countries and into storage caverns.

About Nord Stream 2

1. The 1,200 km Nord Stream 2 pipeline was planned to run from Ust-Luga in Russia to Greifswald in Germany through the Baltic Sea, with a capacity to carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

2. It was designed to operate alongside the Nord Stream 1 system.

3. Germany, Russia’s largest European gas consumer, receives most of its gas through the Nord Stream pipelines.

UPSC Syllabus:  International Relations 

Print Friendly and PDF
Blog
Academy
Community