Gazprom confirms Nord Stream pipeline being halted for three days of maintenance from Aug 31-Sept 3

MOSCOW. Aug 30 (Interfax) - Gas transportation by the Nord Stream pipeline will be suspended for three days from August 31 to September 3.

Gazprom published an official statement in keeping with the EU wholesale energy market integrity and transparency regulation, according to which the pipeline will be halted for maintenance between 4:00 am Moscow time on August 31 and 4:00 am Moscow time on September 3.

The reason given for the stoppage was "maintenance of the GPU No. 24 at Portovaya Compressor Station."

Gazprom said previously that the sole Trent 60 operating gas compressor unit needed to be stopped for servicing. Once the work is completed and there are no technical problems with the unit, gas transport will be restored to 33 million cubic meters per day, the Russian gas giant said.

The series of routine maintenance works according to the current maintenance contract will be carried out jointly with specialists from Siemens, the Russian company has said. "In accordance with Siemens technical documentation, technical maintenance of the unit must be carried out every 1,000 hours, which includes: inspection of the housing for cracks, potholes, deformations, burn marks, cleaning of the housing; inspection of the oil supply, air, combustion product outlet for leaks, retightening of connections and fixing causes of leaks; checking the performance of safety valves and setting the air flow control system," it said.

At full capacity, Nord Stream can pump up to 167 mcm of gas per day, but capacity has fallen due to disruptions in the maintenance schedule for compressor equipment at the Portovaya compressor station that feeds the pipeline. It has gas pumping turbines from Rolls-Royce, whose gas turbine business was subsequently acquired by Germany's Siemens.

Due to Canadian sanctions, one turbine was not returned to Russia on time from Siemens Energy's service center in Montreal. Meanwhile, the time has come for maintenance on other turbines, both due to them reaching the end of their operating period between repairs and due to breakdowns.

Gas prices in Europe have soared with Nord Stream capacity offline this summer. Spot prices have risen above 3,500 per thousand cubic meters.