The explosions on the “Nord Streams” will not be investigated
3.02.2023 - 11:30
The Norwegian company Equinor refused to investigate damage to russian gas pipelines due to EU sanctions.
In September, several underwater explosions ruptured the Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 pipelines, each more than 1,200 km long. Pipelines connected russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea.
Norway, which exports gas to Europe via offshore pipelines, has a Subsea Repair and Intervention (PRSI) team that has been set up to repair damage and provide specialist equipment. The group is managed by Equinor. Its 72 members include pipeline operators Nord Stream, Switzerland’s Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG.
In early October, the system received a request from the Nord Stream operators to mobilize vessels and equipment to inspect the damage. However, the company did not receive permission for this from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.
Equinor has now said it will not provide services and equipment to inspect the damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines, Reuters reports.
“Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that work on the pipelines would violate Norway’s sanctions rules — and by extension EU sanctions rules,” Equinor said in a statement.
Norway is not part of the European Union, but is part of its single market and has applied most of the EU sanctions against russia.
