Putin announces completion of first string of Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Gazprom is ready to fill the first string of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline with gas after completing all construction work, Russian President Vladimir Putin said June 4.

"I am glad to announce that today, two and a half hours ago, the pipelaying of the first line of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was successfully completed. The work on the second line continues," Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He added that the entire line, including the offshore section, was completed.

"Thus, Gazprom is ready to fill Nord Stream 2 with gas," Putin said.

On June 3, deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said about 100 km of the two-string pipeline remained to be laid.

On April 15, Pavel Zavalny, head of the Russian State Duma's energy committee, had said he was confident that Nord Stream 2 would be completed in time to begin flowing gas by the end of this summer.

Nord Stream 2 will allow for up to 55 Bcm/year of Russian gas to flow directly to Germany to add to the 55 Bcm/year capacity of the existing Nord Stream pipeline.

S&P Global Platts Analytics expects Nord Stream 2 to start up in Q4 with construction taking around 3-4 months and commissioning a further 1-2 months.