Deutsche Welle reported bad news for Ukraine
Germany has issued the latest permit for the construction of the Oygall gas pipeline, which is an onshore branch from SP2. For Russia and Germany this is very good news, unlike Kyiv.
This is described in a story prepared by journalists from the DW in Russian channel, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
During the report, the presenter said that the construction of Nord Stream 2 is already in full swing: the Swiss vessel Solitaire began laying pipes in the Gulf of Finland in September. Two lines will be stretched along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, each over 1200 km long, between Ust-Luga in Russia and Greifswald in Germany.
However, this project is causing heated political debate.
The presenter noted that the implementation of the Oygall project is taking place in a much calmer environment.
“This is a pipeline from Greifswald to the Czech border, almost half a thousand kilometers long, but without it, SP2 makes no sense, since otherwise Russian gas will be carried only on the coast near Greifswald. The Opal and Nel gas pipelines were laid especially for SP2, and Oigall will be built for the second stage. The most interesting thing that experts pay attention to is where the pipe leads, that is, who the end user is,” he noted.
Thus, DW economic observer Andrei Gurkov emphasized that SP2 is not being built for Germany:
“It is believed that SP2 is being built in order to supply gas from Russia to Germany. This is correct, but it is not being built “for Germany”. Oygall has a capacity of 51 billion cubic meters, SP2 has 55. In other words, 90% of the gas that will flow through SP2 will go through two Oygall pipes through the whole of Germany to the south and further to the Czech Republic and Austria to the distribution hub " Balmgarth." This will be the gas that now goes to the same Austrian hub through Ukraine,” he said.
Gazprom's SP2 is capable of replacing up to 55 billion cubic meters of Ukrainian transit.
“Last year, the volume of Russian gas pumped by Ukraine was a record in recent years – 93,5 billion cubic meters. However, Gazprom strives to put both SP2 and Turkish Stream into operation by the end of 2019. Just in time for this, the ten-year transit contract with Kiev will expire.
Angela Merkel demands that Putin maintain supplies through Ukraine, but even if the Kremlin agrees, it will not be to the current volumes. As a result, it could be some 10-15 billion cubic meters per year - a tiny amount that is unlikely to justify the existence of the pipe from the point of view of Kyiv,” the presenter noted.
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