Due to the increased risk of fire and explosion, the Rostechnadzor technical supervisor has prohibited the turbine from continuing to operate, GAZPROM announced on Monday evening in Moscow. A company with the identified deficiencies contradicts “the norms of Russian legislation”. Siemens rejected the representation.
GAZPROM did not resume gas supplies to Europe on Saturday after scheduled turbine maintenance. The company justified this with allegedly leaking oil from the Siemens Energy unit.
Oil is leaking from the Trent 60 turbine in the Russian pumping station Portovaya in a place where it is very hot, GAZPROM wrote on Monday. The oil could ignite; then the risk of explosion threatens the safety of the entire pumping station. The problem did not occur when this turbine was serviced in July. However, it has already been observed in other turbines of this type. This suggests that the error was in the design and can only be remedied by a conversion at Siemens Energy.
Siemens Energy could not understand this new representation, said a spokesman. For the time being, the assessment that the reported findings do not constitute a reason for the cessation of operations applies. “Such leaks do not normally affect the operation of a turbine and can be sealed on site.” In the past, too, there had been no standstill due to such oil leaks. Siemens Energy points out that there are enough additional turbines in the Portovaya compressor station to operate Nord Stream 1.
The federal government considers the technical problems with the pipeline to be advanced. She accuses Moscow of refusing gas supplies for political reasons. The Kremlin blames the West for the delivery stop and its sanctions against Russia.
Kremlin ‘regrets’ problems at Nord Stream – Europe blamed
According to Russia, gas deliveries via Nord Stream 1 cannot be resumed until further notice due to the sanctions. “We don’t know how the repair work will be carried out because the sanctions prevent it,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday at the economic forum in Vladivostok, according to the Interfax news agency. The Kremlin states “with regret that the responsibility for the situation lies entirely with the European states and the states that have introduced sanctions against our country”.
Peskow spoke of a “potentially dangerous situation for the company” as a result of the oil leak from a turbine. For this reason, the turbine – and thus the pipeline – cannot be put back into service without prior repair work. However, GAZPROM remains a reliable gas supplier.
Gazprom tied the delivery stop on Monday to an alleged design flaw in the turbine supplied by Siemens Energy. Due to the risk of fire from the oil spill, continued operation was forbidden.
Siemens Energy has rejected this representation: “Such leaks do not normally affect the operation of a turbine and can be sealed on site,” said a spokesman. The federal government considers the technical problems with the pipeline to be a pretext and denies Russia the status of a reliable gas supplier.
The head of the network agency expects up to three liquid gas terminals
The head of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, expects up to three floating terminals for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be used in Germany this winter. In addition to two state LNG terminals, in the preparation of which there are currently no delays, there is also the prospect of commissioning a privately operated terminal in Lubmin in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, said Müller on Tuesday after talks with the Thuringian state government. A retreat at Ettersburg Castle near Weimar was about security of supply in winter.
Three LNG terminals on the North Sea and Baltic Sea this winter – possibly as early as the turn of the year to 2023 – and a total of six to seven terminals in the coming year would give Germany significant import opportunities, said Müller. The liquefied gas terminals are important in avoiding a gas shortage. “But LNG gas is expensive,” he added.
The head of the agency and Thuringia’s Energy Minister Anja Siegesmund (Greens) appealed to citizens to save energy. Compared to previous years, 20 percent of consumption should also be saved in the private sector. “It’s a Herculean task,” said Müller. But it helps to prevent a gas shortage in industry and commerce. Siegesmund spoke of a winter of solidarity.
Müller confirmed that gas storage in Germany will continue despite the gas supply stop through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. The storage level is now 86 percent. That is possible because Germany pays high prices when shopping and there are savings in the economy, but also in other areas. The aim is to bring the storage level to 95 percent.
At times, the GAZPROM share was 0.52 percent lower at 248.70 rubles on the Moscow stock exchange.
VLADIVOSTOK / MOSCOW / ETTERSBURG / BONN (dpa-AFX)
Leverage must be between 2 and 20
No data
More news about Gazprom PJSC
Image sources: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock.com, Merkushev Vasiliy / Shutterstock.com