NEL pipeline

NEL pipeline
Constructions south of Schwerin
Constructions south of Schwerin
Map
Map of NEL pipeline
Location
CountryGermany
General directioneast-west
FromLubmin
Passes throughSülstorf
Achim
ToRehden
General information
TypeNatural gas
OwnerNEL Gastransport GmbH
PartnersWintershall Dea
Gazprom
Construction started2011
Commissioned2012 (first stage)
2013 (second stage)
Technical information
Length440 km (270 mi)
Maximum discharge20 billion cubic metres per annum (710×10^9 cu ft/a)
Diameter56 in (1,422 mm)

The NEL (Nordeuropäische Erdgasleitung (English: Northern European natural gas pipeline), formerly known as Norddeutsche Erdgasleitung, is a 440 kilometres (270 mi) long natural gas pipeline in Germany.

Route

The pipeline runs from Lubmin near Greifswald through Sülstorf and Achim to Rehden. It connects the Nord Stream 1 pipeline with the Rehden-Hamburg and MIDAL pipelines. The pipeline started operations on 5 November 2012.[1] Between Sülstorf and Achim, it uses a pre-existing installation.[2]

Technical features

The diameter of the pipeline is 56 inches (1,400 mm) and it uses 100 bars (10,000 kPa) operating pressure.[3] Its capacity is 20 billion cubic metres (710 billion cubic feet) of natural gas per year.[3][4] The pipeline is expected to cost around €1 billion.[5]

The developer of the pipeline asked exemption from the network access and transit fees regulation; however, this request was denied.[6]

Project company

The pipeline was built by OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH.[7] It is operated by NEL Gastransport GmbH,[3] owned by WIGA Transport Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Wintershall Dea and Gazprom.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gas supply starts through Nord Stream's NEL stretch under new contracts". Kyiv Post. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
  2. ^ "The North European Natural Gas Pipeline".
  3. ^ a b c "NEL: online and on time". Pipeline International. 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
  4. ^ Łukasz Antas (2007-11-14). "Nord Stream: the current status and possible consequences of the project's implementation". East Week (104). The Centre for Eastern Studies. Archived from the original on 2008-03-09. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  5. ^ "Gasunie takes NEL berth". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
  6. ^ Vera Eckert (2009-02-25). "Germany rules favourably on OPAL gas pipeline". Reuters. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  7. ^ "OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH applies for exemption from regulation. Project company plans Nord Stream pipeline links" (Press release). Wingas. 2008-07-25. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
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52°37′08″N 8°29′47″E / 52.6188°N 8.4963°E / 52.6188; 8.4963