OPAL pipeline

OPAL pipeline
OPAL pipeline
	OPAL pipeline near Weißenborn, Saxony
	Map of OPAL pipeline
Location
Country	Germany
General direction	north-south
From	Greifswald (Lubmin)
To	Olbernhau
Runs alongside	German eastern border
General information
Type	natural gas
Partners	Wintershall Dea; Gazprom
Operator	OPAL Gastransport GmbH & Co KG
Commissioned	2011
Technical information
Length	470 km (290 mi)
Maximum discharge	35 billion cubic metres (1.2×1012 cu ft) per year
Diameter	1,400 mm (55 in)

The OPAL (Ostsee-Pipeline-Anbindungsleitung) is a natural gas pipeline in Germany alongside the German eastern border. The OPAL pipeline is one of two projected pipelines connecting the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to the existing pipeline grid in Middle and Western Europe, the other one being the NEL pipeline.

Route

The 470-kilometre (290 mi) long pipeline runs from Lubmin near Greifswald to Olbernhau near German-Czech border.^[1] It connects the Nord Stream pipeline with the JAGAL (distributes gas from the Yamal-Europe pipeline), and the STEGAL (distributes gas from the Central-European Russian gas transit system (Transgas) via Czechia and Slovakia) pipelines in Germany. On the German-Czech border the pipeline is connected with the Gazela Pipeline, to connect gas export pipelines in Czechia.^[2]

Technical features

The diameter of the pipeline is 1,400 millimetres (55 in) and it has an operating pressure up to 100 bars (10,000 kPa).^[1] The capacity of the pipeline is 35 billion cubic metres (1.2 trillion cubic feet) per year of natural gas. The compressor station in Radeland, Brandeburg, is built by Siemens.^[3]

The pipeline cost around €1 billion. The construction was completed in 2011 and in August 2011 Nord Stream was connected with the OPAL pipeline.^[4]

Project company

The pipeline was constructed by OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH, a subsidiary of Wingas.^[5] It is operated by OPAL Gastransport GmbH & Co KG, owned by WIGA Transport Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Wintershall Dea and Gazprom.

Access by Gazprom

Polish state-run gas firm PGNiG and PGNiG Supply & Trading tried to restrict Gazprom's access to the pipeline. Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf lifted the restrictions ^[6]

After the decision Gazprom increased the throughput to 72.5 million m³/d (26.462 billion/year).^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b Lochner, Stefan; Bothe, David (September 2007). "From Russia with Gas An analysis of the Nord Stream pipeline's impact on the European Gas Transmission System with the Tiger-Model" (PDF). EWI Working Paper. 7 (2). Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne. Retrieved 2008-03-05.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Markéta Hulpachová (2007-05-23). "RWE plans new pipeline". The Prague Post. Archived from the original on 2007-06-01. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
^ "Siemens wins Baltic pipeline compressor order". Offshore. PennWell Corporation. 2010-03-17. Archived from the original on 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
^ Blau, John (2011-08-26). "Nord Stream pipeline now connected to German link". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2011-09-10.
^ "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.
^ "Gazprom gets access to OPAL pipeline". 2017-07-31.

External links

[ewi-1] Lochner, Stefan; Bothe, David (September 2007). "From Russia with Gas An analysis of the Nord Stream pipeline's impact on the European Gas Transmission System with the Tiger-Model" (PDF). EWI Working Paper. 7 (2). Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne. Retrieved 2008-03-05.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[praguepost1-2] Markéta Hulpachová (2007-05-23). "RWE plans new pipeline". The Prague Post. Archived from the original on 2007-06-01. Retrieved 2007-11-24.

[offshore170310-3] "Siemens wins Baltic pipeline compressor order". Offshore. PennWell Corporation. 2010-03-17. Archived from the original on 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2010-03-18.

[dw260811-4] Blau, John (2011-08-26). "Nord Stream pipeline now connected to German link". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2011-09-10.

[wingas-5] "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.

[6] "Gazprom gets access to OPAL pipeline". 2017-07-31.

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