Gazprom says the ball is in Siemens Energy’s court Siemens Energy: We do not understand Gazprom Germany debates energy curbs Russia: We will send our oil to Asia
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Russia’s largest natural gas pipeline to Europe will not resume pumping until Siemens Energy ( ENR1n.DE ) repairs faulty equipment, its deputy chief executive told Reuters on Tuesday Gazprom (GAZP.MM), Vitaly Markelov. Europe is facing its worst gas supply crisis ever, with energy prices soaring and German importers even discussing bailouts in the European Union’s biggest economy after Russia cut flows to the west. Gazprom ( GAZP.MM ) said on Friday that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, Europe’s main supply route, would remain shut as a turbine at a compressor station leaked engine oil, sending wholesale gas prices skyrocketing. read more Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Asked when Nord Stream 1 would start pumping gas again, Markelov told Reuters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok: “You’ll have to ask Siemens. They have to repair the equipment first.” Siemens Energy, based in Munich, Germany, said on Tuesday it did not understand Gazprom’s presentation of the situation. He said an engine oil leak at the last remaining turbine at the Portovaya compressor station was no reason to keep the pipeline closed. read more “We cannot understand this new representation based on the information provided to us over the weekend,” Siemens Energy said in a written statement. “Therefore, until further notice, our assessment is that the finding communicated to us is not a technical reason for an outage. Such leaks do not normally affect the operation of a turbine and can be sealed on site,” he added. Pipes at the disposal facility of the ‘Nord Stream 1’ natural gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke//File Photo
ENERGY WAR?
The Kremlin blames the energy crisis on Western sanctions imposed on Russia over what President Vladimir Putin calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine. European leaders say Moscow is using energy to blackmail the EU. Nord Stream 1, which runs under the Baltic Sea to Germany, is by far the largest Russian natural gas pipeline to Europe, transporting up to 59.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. Once seen as a symbol of cooperation between one of the world’s biggest energy powers and the world’s fourth-largest economy, Nord Stream has now become the subject of counter-complaints between Berlin and Moscow. European politicians say Putin, Russia’s top leader since the last day of 1999, is using his influence as head of one of the world’s biggest energy powers to stoke discord in Europe over the conflict in Ukraine. EU politicians dismiss Gazprom’s explanations for turbine issues as a pretext. But the Kremlin says the West triggered the energy crisis by imposing the toughest sanctions in modern history, a step Putin says amounts to a declaration of economic war. The Kremlin also warned that Russia would retaliate against a G7 proposal to impose a price cap on Russian oil, a step unlikely to hurt Russia unless China and India follow suit. Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Sulginov said on Tuesday in Vladivostok that Russia would respond to the price cap by sending more oil to Asia. He said Russia and its partners were considering creating an insurer to facilitate oil trade. read more Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Report by Vladimir Soldatkin. Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Jan Harvey Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
