Feb 21, 2025
Nord Stream 2 might be converted for use with hydrogen and LNG.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which links Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea, was damaged in September 2022 due to an explosion. StreamTec Solutions, a company created from the management team of the Nord Stream pipelines, has researched the current status of Nord Stream 2 and its future possibilities, suggesting it may be adapted for hydrogen transport.
Nord Stream 2, completed in 2021, consists of two parallel pipeline strings, each 1,230 kilometers long with a diameter of 1.2 meters, running through the Baltic Sea from Narva Bay in Russia to Lubmin in Germany.
Recognized as the longest and most powerful offshore gas pipeline ever constructed, designed to convey 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually, the pipeline was pressurized but had never actually delivered gas from Russia to Germany.
On September 26, 2022, significant damage occurred to Line A of the gas pipeline due to explosives in the Danish and Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Baltic Sea. Simultaneously, both Nord Stream 1 pipelines were also damaged by explosives.
StreamTec Solutions, based in Switzerland, has performed a technical assessment of the current state and potential future uses of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and produced a report using publicly available data.
The damage to Line A is not as extensive as initially believed, while Line B remains undamaged and could potentially be repurposed without the need for repairs.
Last month, Denmark granted Nord Stream 2 AG permission to maintain the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
"Line A has ruptures at two points near Bornholm Island, about 80 kilometers apart. This section is partially filled with water. However, over 90% of the pipeline remains unflooded and is still filled with natural gas at low pressure," stated Richard Taylor, Offshore Construction Manager and Partner at StreamTec Solutions.
"The corrosion within the flooded sections of the pipeline is minimal and does not threaten the integrity of the pipeline, primarily due to the very low oxygen levels in the Baltic Sea at that depth and the low water temperature which reduces microbial corrosion," he added.
According to Taylor, it is technically possible to repair Line A, with the required tools, equipment, and expertise readily available. If a suitable repurposing application is identified, repairing the pipeline would be significantly less expensive than constructing a new one, and it would also be more environmentally sustainable.
Regarding potential future uses for Nord Stream 2, one possibility is repurposing it for hydrogen transport, as the pipeline and its steel are currently suitable for that purpose. Another option could involve importing LNG to Lubmin through an offshore regasification terminal or utilizing it as a gas storage facility.
"Repair options are technically viable, and there are multiple potential repurposing alternatives that offer considerable commercial benefits compared to creating new infrastructure," Taylor concluded.
"It is crucial to carefully consider permitting requirements and the permit application process for a change of use, but these are likely manageable. These pipelines could play a key role in decarbonizing Europe by supplying clean, renewable energy with a relatively minor environmental impact when repurposed," he added.
StreamTec Solutions was established by the management team from the Nord Stream 1 project, which ended in 2013. The seven founding partners of StreamTec Solutions also held similar roles in the Nord Stream 2 project, which is technically very similar to the first pipeline.
The company’s experts in permitting, construction, and materials collaborated on the report to provide valuable insights to government and private organizations interested in investigating the possibilities of repairing and repurposing the pipelines.
Nord Stream 1, built in 2012, also consists of two parallel strings with the same diameter and a similar length to the Nord Stream 2 lines, running from Portovaya Bay in Russia in the northern Gulf of Finland to Lubmin.
Nord Stream 2, completed in 2021, consists of two parallel pipeline strings, each 1,230 kilometers long with a diameter of 1.2 meters, running through the Baltic Sea from Narva Bay in Russia to Lubmin in Germany.
Recognized as the longest and most powerful offshore gas pipeline ever constructed, designed to convey 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually, the pipeline was pressurized but had never actually delivered gas from Russia to Germany.
On September 26, 2022, significant damage occurred to Line A of the gas pipeline due to explosives in the Danish and Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Baltic Sea. Simultaneously, both Nord Stream 1 pipelines were also damaged by explosives.
StreamTec Solutions, based in Switzerland, has performed a technical assessment of the current state and potential future uses of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and produced a report using publicly available data.
The damage to Line A is not as extensive as initially believed, while Line B remains undamaged and could potentially be repurposed without the need for repairs.
Last month, Denmark granted Nord Stream 2 AG permission to maintain the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
"Line A has ruptures at two points near Bornholm Island, about 80 kilometers apart. This section is partially filled with water. However, over 90% of the pipeline remains unflooded and is still filled with natural gas at low pressure," stated Richard Taylor, Offshore Construction Manager and Partner at StreamTec Solutions.
"The corrosion within the flooded sections of the pipeline is minimal and does not threaten the integrity of the pipeline, primarily due to the very low oxygen levels in the Baltic Sea at that depth and the low water temperature which reduces microbial corrosion," he added.
According to Taylor, it is technically possible to repair Line A, with the required tools, equipment, and expertise readily available. If a suitable repurposing application is identified, repairing the pipeline would be significantly less expensive than constructing a new one, and it would also be more environmentally sustainable.
Regarding potential future uses for Nord Stream 2, one possibility is repurposing it for hydrogen transport, as the pipeline and its steel are currently suitable for that purpose. Another option could involve importing LNG to Lubmin through an offshore regasification terminal or utilizing it as a gas storage facility.
"Repair options are technically viable, and there are multiple potential repurposing alternatives that offer considerable commercial benefits compared to creating new infrastructure," Taylor concluded.
"It is crucial to carefully consider permitting requirements and the permit application process for a change of use, but these are likely manageable. These pipelines could play a key role in decarbonizing Europe by supplying clean, renewable energy with a relatively minor environmental impact when repurposed," he added.
StreamTec Solutions was established by the management team from the Nord Stream 1 project, which ended in 2013. The seven founding partners of StreamTec Solutions also held similar roles in the Nord Stream 2 project, which is technically very similar to the first pipeline.
The company’s experts in permitting, construction, and materials collaborated on the report to provide valuable insights to government and private organizations interested in investigating the possibilities of repairing and repurposing the pipelines.
Nord Stream 1, built in 2012, also consists of two parallel strings with the same diameter and a similar length to the Nord Stream 2 lines, running from Portovaya Bay in Russia in the northern Gulf of Finland to Lubmin.