Denmark has concluded its investigation into the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in September 2022, the second country to complete this process. The event resulted in four gas leaks, two within Sweden’s exclusive economic zone and two on Danish territory, prompting Germany, Sweden and Denmark to launch national investigations into the incident.
Investigation of the Nord Stream pipeline explosions
Earlier, Sweden closed its investigation into the pipeline explosions, arguing lack of jurisdiction in the case. This month, Danish authorities concluded that these were the result of deliberate sabotage. However, they determined that there is insufficient basis to pursue a criminal case in the country.
It is important to note that the mentioned pipeline system, which extends from Vyborg, Russia to Lubmin near Greifswald, Germany, crosses the exclusive economic zones of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany, as well as the territorial waters of Russia, Denmark and Germany. After underwater explosions prior to the leaks were confirmed by Norwegian and Swedish seismic institutes, European authorities suggested that the incident may have been the result of deliberate actions.
In July 2023, Germany reported in a letter sent to the UN Security Council together with Sweden and Denmark that its study had found traces of explosives in samples taken from a sailing yacht, chartered in the name of a person who used false documents to conceal the identity of the real lessee. Swedish analysis also revealed explosive residues on several foreign objects found in the Baltic Sea area.
In addition, a report from the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) indicated that a huge amount of methane gas was released from the methane gas gas was released into the atmosphere due to pipeline damage.
Environmental impact and energy security
Damage to gas pipelines not only raises concerns about the safety and vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in Europe, but also highlights the significant environmental impact of such incidents. The release of large quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, underscores the urgent need to strengthen safety and environmental protection measures around energy infrastructures.
This event underscores the importance of international cooperation to ensure energy stability and protect the environment from acts of sabotage and natural disasters.
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Source: offshore-energy.biz