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Why Experts and Officials Say Nord Stream Pipleline Leaks Were No Accident


While European governments have yet to determine the cause of the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak, several political leaders, including Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister and two top officials of the European Union, have said they cannot inadvertently.

However, the three leaks, miles apart, don’t appear to be random occurrences. And these pipes are not fragile constructions. They are built solidly of steel, covered with concrete, to withstand the water pressure to the bottom of the Baltic Sea as they transport natural gas from Russia to Germany.

Officials in Poland and Ukraine have, among others, pointed the finger at Russia, whose state-controlled energy company, Gazprom, is the main owner of the pipelines. On Wednesday, the Kremlin called suggestions of Russian involvement “stupid” and pointed the finger at the United States.

In some respects, disrupting the pipelines served little to anyone’s immediate purpose – although both were filled, neither was transmitting natural gas at the time.

And on the surface, it’s not clear why Moscow would seek to sabotage the installations that cost Gazprom billions of dollars. The leaks are expected to delay any ability to receive revenue from fuel going through the pipelines.

On the other hand, the natural gas market is in turmoil, which helps Russia increase gas prices and the anxiety of European leaders. The rift comes as energy markets begin to take the view that most of Europe can avoid shortages this winter by finding alternative supplies and filling up gas storage facilities. burn.

They could also be a reminder from Moscow that if European countries continue to back Ukraine, they risk sabotaging critical energy infrastructure.

On Monday, benchmark European gas futures prices fell by nearly half from their August highs. After news of the leak, they jumped about 13% to almost 200 euros ($191) per megawatt-hour, almost five times the level of a year ago.

Over the last year, Gazprom and Russia have taken steps such as adjusting flows on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a move analysts say is intended to increase political tensions and energy prices.

“Russia has to do something to ease the pressure,” said Massimo Di Odoardo, vice president of gas research at Wood Mackenzie, an energy consulting firm. “Same old story!”



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