EU: New Rules Apply to Nord Stream 2

Thursday, April 25, 2019

The European Union executive on Thursday said its stance on Nord Stream 2 is law and will not change, despite receiving letter from the gas pipeline threatening legal action if it is not exempt from new energy rules.

The bloc amended its energy rules to ensure they would apply to the 11 billion euro ($12 billion) project to build a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany that has come under fire from the United States and several EU nations, who fear it will increase reliance on Russia.

The changes cast doubt over the pipeline's business plan, to be both owned and operated by Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom, and threaten to slow its completion.

In a letter to the European Commission president dated April 12, Nord Stream 2 asked for assurances by May 13 that it would be exempt from the rules, arguing investments in the pipeline were made before they came into force.

It wrote that the letter, seen by Reuters, should be seen as a notice of dispute, threatening to seek arbitration.

"All the letters to the Commission president will be replied in due time," a Commission spokeswoman said.

"We have the legislation in place so you should not expect any change in our position with regards to Nord Stream especially as it has been approved by all member states."

The Nord Stream 2 project is led by Gazprom, with funding provided by Germany's Uniper and BASF unit Wintershall, Anglo-Dutch firm Shell, Austria's OMV and France's Engie.


(Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; editing by Jason Neely)

Categories: Pipelines Russia Europe Construction Regulations

Related Stories

Petronas Expands Suriname Portfolio with Deepwater Block Acquisition

Japanese Oil and Gas Firm Enters Two Blocks off Malaysia

Petronas-Eni Upstream Joint Venture to Take Up to Two Years to Set Up

French Oil Major Acquires Interests in Multiple Blocks in Southeast Asia

MODEC, Carbon Clean to Advance FPSO-Mounted Carbon Capture Tech

CDWE Wraps Up Pin Pile Installation Job for Taiwanese Offshore Wind Farm

Azeri SOCAR Plans New Agreements with Oil and Gas Majors

Fugro Lands Deepwater Gas Field Job in Southeast Asia

Fire at Petronas Gas Pipeline in Malaysia Sends 63 to Hospital

Shell Predicts 60% Rise in LNG Demand by 2040 with Asia Leading the Way

Current News

Woodside and Jera Agree LNG Cargoes Supply for Japan’s Winter Period

Petronas Expands Suriname Portfolio with Deepwater Block Acquisition

Japanese Oil and Gas Firm Enters Two Blocks off Malaysia

Yinson Production, “K” LINE Target Europe's CCS with FSIU and LCO2 Solutions

Woodside Agrees Long-Term LNG Supply with Petronas Unit

MODEC and Terra Drone Renew FPSO Drone Inspection Partnership

Yinson Production Closes $1B Investment to Drive Further Growth

Petronas-Eni Upstream Joint Venture to Take Up to Two Years to Set Up

Wood JV Gets EPC Job for Shell off Brunei

Chuditch Gas Field Drilling Ops Get Delayed to Next Year

Subscribe for AOG Digital E‑News

AOG Digital E-News is the subsea industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week

https://accounts.newwavemedia.com