Offshore staff

ZUG, Switzerland – Pre-commissioning has been completed on the first Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, including pressure testing, cleaning, drying, and filling with nitrogen to eliminate any oxygen.

Earlier this week operations began to fill the first line with ‘buffer’ gas, and this will continue for around four weeks.

Before full service can start, the pipeline needs to be filled with gas to a certain level. This will be the final step in commissioning of the first line, allowing transportation of gas from Russian onshore fields to Europe.

After completion of preparatory works on both ends of the pipeline in Russia and Germany, gas should start flowing in October.

09/09/2011