The capacity of the pipeline connecting Russia and Germany reached 73 billion cubic meters a day. The pipeline, laid on the bottom of the Baltic Sea and connecting Russia and Germany was commissioned in November 2011. However, due to the continuing works on the run-in and adjustment of technological equipment of the compressor station “Portovaya”, which serves as a starting point of the gas pipeline on the Russian shore, up to the present time the gas pipeline has been used only for the third of its capacity. And it is only now that its capacity reached its maximum of 73 million cubic meters a day.
According to the schedule, in the fourth quarter of 2012, when the second line is commissioned the Nord Stream gas pipeline will be able to transport to the countries of Western Europe over 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year.
With the aim of studying the further perspectives of increasing the capacity of Nord Stream the possibilities of creating one or two additional lines for gas transportation are to be considered. The experts will also consider such key issues as project funding, the variants of gas pipeline route, the engineering solution necessary for this purpose and the provision of environmental safety.
