Nord Stream: Simultaneous breakdown of three gas pipeline strings unprecedented, not yet possible to estimate recovery period

MOSCOW. Sept 27 (Interfax) - The simultaneous breakdown of three gas pipeline strings in the Baltic Sea is unprecedented, Nord Stream operator Nord Stream AG said in a statement.

"The breakdown that occurred simultaneously in three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system, on the same day, is unprecedented. It is not yet possible to estimate the timeframe for restoring the gas transmission infrastructure," Nord Stream AG said in the statement.

During the night from Sunday to Monday, a leak occurred in one of the strings of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Danish exclusive economic zone, southeast of the island of Bornholm.

Gas leaks were also discovered in both strings of Nord Stream 1 in the Danish exclusive economic zone, northeast of Bornholm.

There are five-mile no-go zones for shipping around the leak areas.

Nord Stream 1, with capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year, has currently halted operation owing to overhaul time of the engines of the gas pumping stations, as well as breakdowns in compressor equipment that cannot be fixed owing to sanctions.

Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline with similar output capacity per year, has been built and is ready for operation, though it has not been launched because of bureaucratic delays and sanctions restrictions.