NEL pipeline
The NEL (Nordeuropäische Erdgasleitung (English: Northern European natural gas pipeline), formerly known as Norddeutsche Erdgasleitung, is a 440 kilometres (270 mi) long natural gas pipeline in Germany.
NEL pipeline | |
---|---|
Constructions south of Schwerin | |
Location | |
Country | Germany |
General direction | east-west |
From | Lubmin |
Passes through | Sülstorf Achim |
To | Rehden |
General information | |
Type | Natural gas |
Owner | NEL Gastransport GmbH |
Partners | Wintershall Gazprom |
Construction started | 2011 |
Commissioned | 2012 (first stage) 2013 (second stage) |
Technical information | |
Length | 440 km (270 mi) |
Maximum discharge | 20 billion cubic metres per annum (710×10 9 cu ft/a) |
Diameter | 56 in (1,422 mm) |
Route
The pipeline runs from Lubmin near Greifswald through Sülstorf and Achim to Rehden. It connects the Nord Stream pipeline with the Rehden-Hamburg and MIDAL pipelines. The pipeline started operations on 5 November 2012.[1] Between Sülstorf and Achim, it uses a pre-existing installation.[2]
Technical features
The diameter of the pipeline is 56 inches (1,400 mm) and it uses 100 bars (10,000 kPa) operating pressure.[3] Its capacity is 20 billion cubic metres (710 billion cubic feet) of natural gas per year.[3][4] The pipeline is expected to cost around €1 billion.[5]
The developer of the pipeline asked exemption from the network access and transit fees regulation; however, this request was denied.[6]
Project company
The pipeline was built by OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH.[7] It is operated by NEL Gastransport GmbH[3], indirectly owned by WIGA Transport Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Wintershall and Gazprom.
See also
- Nord Stream
- Rehden-Hamburg gas pipeline
- MIDAL
- OPAL pipeline
- Gazela Pipeline
References
- "Gas supply starts through Nord Stream's NEL stretch under new contracts". Kyiv Post. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
- "The North European Natural Gas Pipeline".
- "NEL: online and on time". Pipeline International. 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
- Łukasz Antas (2007-11-14). "Nord Stream: the current status and possible consequences of the project's implementation". East Week. The Centre for Eastern Studies (104). Archived from the original on 2008-03-09. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
- "Gasunie takes NEL berth". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- Vera Eckert (2009-02-25). "Germany rules favourably on OPAL gas pipeline". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
- "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.