ICIS: Nord Stream Capacity Utilization Has Been At Only 27% Since Launch

In five months of operation since the launch of the second Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream pipeline, just 27% of the available capacity was utilised, transmission system operator (TSO) data show.

During that period, 67.3TWh - or 6.25 billion cubic metres (bcm) - of gas was transported through the two strings, which have a technical capacity to transport 55bcm/year of Russian gas via the Baltic Sea into Germany, thus avoiding transit countries such as Ukraine.

Meanwhile, direct gas imports from Russia into Germany have increased in 2013, mainly supported by flows starting via the second Nord Stream onshore link, Norddeutsche Erdgasleitung (NEL). On Friday 8 March, NEL's flow rate reached an operational record of 4.62GWh/hour during the morning.  MORE