Security Gate

The Russian Empress became the symbol of Nord Stream

On April 9, in the presence of Russian Head of State Dmitry Medvedev and European Commissioner for Energy Günter Oettinger, the first joint of the Nord Stream offshore gas pipeline was welded in Portovaya Bay near Vyborg. And this starting point was noted in one way or another by all European countries - both opponents and supporters of the new highway from Russia to Western Europe, which, bypassing transit countries, will connect the ports of Russian Vyborg and German Greifswald.

Dmitry Medvedev admitted that he was sincerely happy with everything that was happening and that he did not even believe in receiving all the permits. “This project will for the first time provide direct supplies of Russian gas to European countries and will allow European consumers to annually supply an additional 55 billion cubic meters of gas to the current 140 billion cubic meters. To be honest, it seemed to me that environmental approvals would never end. And the fact that everything worked out proves that Nord Stream is not just a large commercial project. This is a contribution to solving environmental and climate problems. And we have done everything necessary to guarantee its reliability and safety for the environment,” he said.

By the way, previously Russian officials did not allow themselves even a shadow of doubt that the project would be implemented. But, as it turned out, public confidence, including when Sweden and Finland delayed issuing approvals, was only part of the strategy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was unable to attend the ceremony (apparently, participating in events with her long-time political opponent, and now the chairman of the Nord Stream shareholders committee, Gerhard Schröder, is beyond her strength) and sent her video message, the meaning of which was almost no different from the essence of the words of the Russian president. Moreover, the chancellor spoke not only for Germany: “For Europe, Nord Stream is an important condition for ensuring the security of energy supplies. Russia, for its part, is increasing the stability of gas demand.”

After the gas wars that transit countries gave almost every New Year, and the fall in demand for gas in Europe during the crisis, these are not idle words at all. It is not for nothing that Mr. Schröder called Nord Stream a continuation of the policy of Peter I to “cut through” a window to Europe, which will now become a “gate.” The Swedes, who 300 years ago suffered greatly from splinters flying from under Peter’s axe, after such metaphors, were probably sad about the fact that in the fall they issued permission to lay a gas pipeline in their jurisdiction...

Managing Director of Nord Stream AG Matthias Warnig came on stage and commanded in Russian: “Weld!” The three-centimeter pipe was scalded along its one and a half meter diameter in just an instant. After which, representatives of the countries initiating the project and shareholder companies (remember, Gazprom owns 51% of Nord Stream, the German concerns BASF/Wintershall and E.ON Ruhrgas - 20% each, the Dutch corporation NV Nederlandse Gasunie - 9 %) approached a pipe on which there were three flags: Russian, German and Dutch. And since spring was playing with all its colors around us - the sun was warming, butterflies were flying around, and even a large dragonfly flew over the chimney, Dmitry Medvedev smiled and wrote in chalk under the tricolor “good luck!” and signed his autograph.

There could have been one more flag on the pipe. It was assumed that before the official start of construction, another participant would enter the project - the French GDF Suez (it should buy 4.5% each from the German participants), but the deal could not be completed completely. Nevertheless, the Nord Stream family will be replenished with a representative from France in the near future. According to sources close to the negotiations, formalities remain to be settled.

Finally, Alexey Miller made a broad gesture, declaring Empress Catherine I the symbol of Nord Stream. Four years ago, at a Sotheby’s auction in the interests of Gazprom, her portrait by the Danish artist Andreas Möller, who painted it in 1712 in Greifswald, was purchased. The painting was saved for the ceremony to begin construction of the Nord Stream. Having shown the painting to Dmitry Medvedev, Mr. Miller announced that he was donating it to the Hermitage, and a copy would henceforth decorate the compressor station in Portovaya Bay. It is she who will supply Europe with gas under a pressure of 100 atmospheres without additional compression along the entire length of the 1,200-kilometer pipeline, the first line of which should be ready in the third quarter of 2011, and the second by the end of 2012.

Mikhail TELEKHOV, Vyborg - St. Petersburg, Alexey GRIVACHS