Russia Claims Natural Gas Could Still Flow Through Nord Stream 2

Russia could restart the supply of natural gas to Germany and its neighbors via an undamaged section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told Russian media.

"Unfortunately, due to sabotage, a string [of Nord Stream 2] was damaged, and an investigation is required to make further decisions about the fate of the string," Novak told RIA Novosti.

"As for the second string, it is ready, fully built, and if the necessary legal decisions are made by our European colleagues regarding certification and removal of restrictions, I believe that Russia could provide adequate supplies through this string of the gas pipeline in a short time," he explained. 

The statement comes a couple of weeks after a German politician said that gas will never flow via Nord Stream 2 because Germany could never again see Russia as a reliable energy supplier. Soon after, the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines became the target of sabotage that seems to have damaged the older pipeline beyond repair.

An investigation launched by the Swedish authorities earlier this month confirmed there were detonations at the pipelines, strengthening suspicions of serious sabotage, per a statement.

Four leaks, two in each of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, were discovered last week after gas started leaking earlier this week from the infrastructure just outside Swedish and Danish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.

Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation after Germany axed the certification process following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia, for its part, shut down Nord Stream 1 indefinitely early this month, claiming an inability to repair gas turbines because of the Western sanctions.

Meanwhile, Germany, which was the main beneficiary of the gas flow via Nord Stream 1, is struggling to secure enough gas for the winter, with a number of officials warning demand reduction would be key to making it to spring without too much pain.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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