“There is no evidence at this point that Russia was behind the sabotage,” said one European official, echoing the assessment of 23 diplomatic and intelligence officials in nine countries interviewed in recent weeks.
Washington Post
Posts Tagged ‘NordStream’
Washington Post: No conclusive evidence Russia is behind Nord Stream attack
Posted in energy, pipelines, tagged NordStream, Russia, sabotage on December 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Waiting for…
Posted in accidents, California, Gulf of Mexico, pipelines, tagged aban pearl, BSEE, Hogan and Houchin, Huntington Beach, NordStream, offshore incidents, Russell Peterson on December 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »
As we approach the end of 2022, I’m still waiting for:
- Nord Stream Pipelines sabotage report(s): Will Denmark, Germany, and Sweden publish reports? Will the responsible parties be identified? I surely hope this wasn’t a US/UK operation.
- Huntington Beach Pipeline Spill investigation report: >14 months since the spill and still no report. What vessel(s) struck the pipeline? The pipeline operator seems to have had minimal responsibility but has been vilified. How will the vessel owner(s) be penalized?
- Offshore Incident Statistics (BSEE): Still no data for 2021 or 2022. The previous OCS safety regulator (MMS) updated these tables at the end of each quarter.
- BSEE/Coast Guard investigation reports for two 2020 GoM occupational fatalities that have yet to be documented. Also waiting for the reports on a 1/24/2021 fatality, a 5/15/2021 explosion and fatality, and a 3/25/2022 fatality. Lives were lost. When will we find out what happened and why?
- Decommissioning status and liability update for Platforms Hogan and Houchin, Santa Barbara Channel.
- (2008) Russell Peterson liftboat fatality offshore Delaware. This was the first fatality associated with the US offshore wind program. The Coast Guard has yet to issue a report.
- (2010) Sinking of the Aban Pearl semisubmersible offshore Venezuela. No report was issued.
- Summary of the incidents on the “BOE watch list” in 2011.
Nord Stream methane release – some perspective
Posted in climate, pipelines, seeps, tagged methane inputs, NordStream, Oil in the Sea, pipeline leaks on October 4, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Sept 30 (Reuters) – The ruptures on the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline system under the Baltic Sea have led to what is likely the biggest single release of climate-damaging methane ever recorded, the United Nations Environment Programme said on Friday.
“This is really bad, most likely the largest emission event ever detected,” Manfredi Caltagirone, head of the IMEO for UNEP, told Reuters. “This is not helpful in a moment when we absolutely need to reduce emissions.”
Researchers at GHGSat, which uses satellites to monitor methane emissions, estimated the leak rate from one of four rupture points was 22,920 kilograms per hour. That is equivalent to burning about 630,000 pounds of coal every hour, GHGSat said in a statement.
The Nord Stream methane release, while puzzling and rather frightening given the potential for escalating international tensions, was not an environmental disaster or even a major environmental setback.
Some perspective:
- estimate for the main Nord Stream leak (likely the maximum or near-maximum rate) = 22,930 kg/hr
- 22,930 kg/h = 550,320 kg/day = 550.320 x 106 g/day
- total methane source for North American coastal waters (NASEM, Oil in the Sea, p. 63) = 4 – 20 Tg/yr
- 10 Tg/yr (i.e. 10 x 1012 g/yr) = 0.027 x 1012 g/day = 27000 x 106 g/day
- This is ~50 times the temporary (maximum?) daily rate for the Nord Stream leak
- North American input from seafloor seepage only (NASEM, Oil in the Sea, p. 63) = 2 – 9 Tg/yr
- assuming 5 x 1012 g/year or 13700 x 106 g/day
- This is ~25 times the temporary (maximum?) daily rate for the Nord Stream leak
German Navy to join Nord Stream investigation; Russia to investigate (presumably separately)
Posted in accidents, energy policy, pipelines, tagged German Navy, NordStream, pipeline leaks, Russia on September 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Germany’s navy is contributing to the investigation into the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipeline leaks, said Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht, who added that the situation must be clarified and those responsible must be identified quickly.
Reuters
Russia’s FSB security service is investigating the damage sustained by the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea as “international terrorism”, the Interfax news agency cited the general prosecutor’s office as saying on Wednesday.
Reuters
Meanwhile, “the U.S. is supporting efforts to investigate,” whatever that means.
Here is Al Jazeera’s summary video:
Worse than embarrassing
Posted in accidents, pipelines, Russia, tagged Angela Merkel, germany, NordStream on September 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Nord Stream pipeline investigation
Posted in accidents, natural gas, Norway, pipelines, Uncategorized, tagged germany, leaks, NordStream, Norway, pipelines, Sweden on September 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The quote below is encouraging. Hopefully, the technical team will be able to function independently, and will have strong leadership. I would like to see participation by the Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway.
“There are good teams in place to handle pipeline accidents, there are emergency pipe inventories and experts for onshore and offshore,” Jens Schumann, managing director of gas pipeline grid company Gasunie Deutschland, said.
Reuters
Meanwhile the seemingly straightforward Huntington Beach pipeline spill investigation drags on one year after the incident.
Update: Shell joins the exodus from Russia
Posted in energy, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, Russia, tagged NordStream, Russia, Sakhalin, Shell on February 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The Board of Shell plc (“Shell”) today announced its intention to exit its joint ventures with Gazprom and related entities, including its 27.5 percent stake in the Sakhalin-II liquefied natural gas facility, its 50 percent stake in the Salym Petroleum Development and the Gydan energy venture. Shell also intends to end its involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.
Shell.com
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 