Methane Release from Nord Stream Pipelines

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.

Findings on Methane Release from Nord Stream Pipelines

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