German Eugal pipeline fully operational

The 480-km Eugal pipeline running south through Germany from the Baltic Sea can now transport up to 55bn m³/yr as both strings and the compressor station are fully operational, the lead partner Gascade Gastransport said April 1.

Eugal is a joint project between transmission system operators Gascade Gastransport, Dutch Gasunie, Belgian Fluxys and German Ontras.

The first string became operational January 1, 2020. The second string and the compressor station is now also in operation, although there is still no date for first gas from Nord Stream 2 (NS 2), the 55bn-m³ offshore section of the Russia-EU transport corridor.

Pipelaying work on NS 2 has been held up by sanctions, limiting Gazprom's ability to source vessels capable of laying the 18-metre-long, 1.40 metre diameter concrete coated sections of pipe. Only a short section remains to complete the job.

“We are proud to have successfully completed this project. Eugal is an important component in Europe's energy supply,” said Gascade CEO Christoph von dem Bussche. He said hydrogen might be carried in future.

“Less than one and half years elapsed from the first planning approval going into effect to the completion of the first string of Eugal. This extremely short implementation period, which was achieved in compliance with environmental and industrial safety standards, was positively breathtaking,” said Fluxys Deutschland.

The fully regulated Eugal pipeline is integrated into the German and European gas network. Thanks to its connection to the existing gas pipelines NEL, FGL306 and Jagal. Jagal was built as the continuation of the Yamal pipeline across Poland and NEL carries Russian gas westward from Lubmin, near the landfall of the fully-operational Nord Stream 1.