GET TO KNOW NORD STRAM 2
Relations between the West and Russia are still tense. Although French leader Emmanuel Macron is now meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to resolve the issue, the conflict continues to escalate.
It is a continuation of Nord Stream 1, which has been operating on the same line since 2011 in the Baltic Sea. The pipeline spans 1,230 km and connects Ust-Luga in Russia with Greifswald in northeastern Germany.
Citing Euronews , construction has started since May 2018. However, the project was completed on September 10, 2021, 1.5 years behind schedule.
Using Nord Stream 2 as a "quick move" to hit Russia has actually been echoed by a number of parties. One of them was the former German Ambassador to the US, Wolfgang Ischinger.
Recently, the President of the United States (US) Joe Biden who met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave a new threat to Russia, Monday (7/2/2022). If Russia attacks Ukraine, the West will stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project
So what exactly is Nord Stream 2? Why is this a "death tactic" for the US and its allies to hit Russia?
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. Currently, the pipeline has actually been completed, but is not yet operational.
Who's the Owner?
The owner of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom. Where the Russian SOE took over half of the project's cost of US$ 11 billion.
The rest is borne by a consortium of European companies. Namely MV (Austria), Wintershall Dea (Germany), Engie (France), Uniper (Germany) and Shell (England).
Ideally, if legally operational, Nord Stream should deliver 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually to the 26 million potential households in Germany. But the project still requires certification from German authorities before it can start delivering gas.
On the other hand, this project is controversial for a number of countries on the continent such as Ukraine and Poland. Because this will eliminate the "transit fee" scheme from the previous gas delivery line.
Who Profits with Nord Stream?
In fact, initially Germany matched Russia. Germany relies on Russian gas, which is considered a transitional fuel in an effort to abandon fossil energy.
Pipelines will be a relatively inexpensive way to obtain raw materials and meet the country's energy needs. However, the current government is not the former government.
The new government is supported by three different parties. Including the Green Party which rejected the project for geostrategic and climate policy reasons.
Russia itself could certainly benefit from this due to the proceeds from the sale of gas, which would bring financial benefits.
"I think the pipeline is a key item for us, if we handle it smartly," he said
However, he stressed, the West still needs to be careful. Moreover, according to Eurostat , about 43% of Europe's total gas imports come from Russia.
The US is also said to be racking its brains to fill the gap in gas supply with LNG if a supply shortage occurs. LNG from Qatar, for example, is one of them.
On the other hand, Russia has also begun to widen its dependence on fossil fuel revenues to other countries. One of them is China.
Last week, the two countries agreed a 30-year contract to supply gas to China and build a new pipeline. But, citing The Guardian, the EU remains a lucrative customer for now.
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