OPAL Natural Gas Pipeline Completed

Construction of the  OPAL (Ostsee-Pipeline-Anbindungs-Leitung – Baltic Sea Pipeline Link) gas pipeline in Germany has been completed.

The 470km pipeline will connect the Nord Stream gas pipeline with existing natural gas pipeline networks including the JAGAL (distributes gas from the Yamal-Europe pipeline), and the STEGAL (distributes gas from the Central-European Russian gas transit system (Transgas) via Czech and Slovak republics) pipelines in Germany. On the German-Czech border the pipeline will be connected with the planned Gazela Pipeline, to connect gas export pipelines in the Czech Republic.

With an annual transport capacity of 36 billion cubic meters and a diameter of 1.4 meters, OPAL is the largest natural gas pipeline to be laid in Europe. WINGAS (80 %) and E.ON Ruhrgas (20 %) have invested over a billion Euros in the energy infrastructure project.

Following a test phase the pipeline will be commissioned in the fall together with the Nord Stream pipeline.

In addition to WINGAS and E.ON Ruhrgas, OPAL will supply natural gas to Dong Energy, Gaz De France and Gazprom Marketing & Trading, UK.

Source: OPAL