Maintenance on Nord Stream 1 turbine shows defects, pipeline can't operate without eliminating them
MOSCOW. Sept 2 (Interfax) - Technical maintenance on Nord Stream's only working turbine has uncovered defects, and the pipeline will be unable to operate without eliminating them, Gazprom said.
The same faults - oil leaks - have also been found on three other Nord Stream turbines. These faults can only be fixed at the plant in Canada.
At the same time, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said that factory repair of Nord Stream turbines is impossible because of sanctions: "Siemens currently has almost no possibility to provide regular overhauls of our gas-pumping units. Siemens simply has nowhere to do this work."
"Gas transport via the Nord Stream gas pipeline has been completely stopped until these issues relating to operation of equipment are corrected," Gazprom said.
"During maintenance work on the Trent 60 gas compressor unit (GCU N24) of the Portovaya compressor station, carried out jointly with representatives of Siemens, an oil leakage was detected with an admixture of sealing compound at the cable joints of low and intermediate pressure rotor speed sensors. Oil was detected on the cable connector of the BPE2 connection plate, which is part of the motor. Oil was also found in the area of the cable line in the external terminal cabinet of the automatic control system of the GCU outside the noise-insulating casing. A document confirming oil leakage detection was also signed by Siemens representatives," Gazprom said.
Gazprom published a photo of "one of the discovered leaks at GCU 24 of Portovaya compressor station" in its Telegram channel.
"We received a warning from Rostechnadzor of Russia stating that the damage detected does not allow safe accident-free operation of the gas turbine engine. In this regard, it is necessary to take appropriate measures and suspend further operation of the Trent 60 gas compressor unit due to the egregious breaches," the company said.
"Similar oil leaks were previously detected on GCUs with engines 075, 076, 120, which underwent factory overhaul and are now in a state of forced downtime. In accordance with information from Siemens, complete mitigation of oil leaks on these engines is possible at a specialized repair facility," Gazprom also said.