OPAL pipeline
{{Short description|Gas pipeline in Germany}}
{{Infobox pipeline
| name = OPAL pipeline
| type = natural gas
| photo = Dscf034382_OPAL_Gasleitung_Juchhö_Weißenborn.jpg
| caption = OPAL pipeline near Weißenborn, Saxony
| map = {{maplink |type=line |frame=yes |plain=yes |frame-align=center |zoom=5}}
| country = Germany
| state =
| province =
| coordinates =
| lat =
| long =
| direction = north-south
| start = Greifswald (Lubmin)
| through =
| finish = Olbernhau
| par = German eastern border
| owner =
| partners = Wintershall Dea
Gazprom
| operator = OPAL Gastransport GmbH & Co KG
| technical_service_provider =
| contractors =
| construction =
| est = 2011
| decom =
| length = 470
| discharge = {{convert|35|e9m3}} per year
| diameter_mm = 1400
| diameter_in =
| compressor_stations_no =
| compressor_stations =
}}
The OPAL (Ostsee-Pipeline-Anbindungsleitung) is a natural gas pipeline in Germany alongside the German eastern border. The OPAL pipeline is one of two projected pipelines connecting the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to the existing pipeline grid in Middle and Western Europe, the other one being the NEL pipeline.
Route
The {{convert|470|km|mi|adj=on}} long pipeline runs from Lubmin near Greifswald to Olbernhau near German-Czech border.
{{Cite journal
|last1 = Lochner
|first1 = Stefan
|last2 = Bothe
|first2 = David
|title = From Russia with Gas An analysis of the Nord Stream pipeline's impact on the European Gas Transmission System with the Tiger-Model
|url = http://www.ewi.uni-koeln.de/fileadmin/user/WPs/ewiwp0702.pdf
|journal = EWI Working Paper
|volume = 7
|publisher = Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne
|issue = 2
|date = September 2007
|accessdate = 2008-03-05
}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
It connects the Nord Stream pipeline with the JAGAL (distributes gas from the Yamal-Europe pipeline), and the STEGAL (distributes gas from the Central-European Russian gas transit system (Transgas) via Czechia and Slovakia) pipelines in Germany. On the German-Czech border the pipeline is connected with the Gazela Pipeline, to connect gas export pipelines in Czechia.{{cite news
| publisher= The Prague Post
| author= Markéta Hulpachová
| url= http://www.praguepost.com/articles/2007/05/23/rwe-plans-new-pipeline.php
| title= RWE plans new pipeline
| date= 2007-05-23
| accessdate= 2007-11-24
| archive-date= 2007-06-01
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070601233357/http://www.praguepost.com/articles/2007/05/23/rwe-plans-new-pipeline.php
| url-status= dead
}}
Technical features
The diameter of the pipeline is {{convert|1400|mm|in}} and it has an operating pressure up to {{convert|100|bar}}. The capacity of the pipeline is {{convert|35|e9m3|abbr=off}} per year of natural gas. The compressor station in Radeland, Brandeburg, is built by Siemens.{{cite news
| publisher= PennWell Corporation
| work= Offshore
| url= http://www.offshore-mag.com/index/article-display/8751778052/articles/offshore/pipeline-transportation/caspian-sea/2010/03/siemens-wins_baltic.html
| title= Siemens wins Baltic pipeline compressor order
| date= 2010-03-17
| accessdate= 2010-03-18
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110103010302/http://www.offshore-mag.com/index/article-display/8751778052/articles/offshore/pipeline-transportation/caspian-sea/2010/03/siemens-wins_baltic.html
| archive-date= 2011-01-03
| url-status= dead
}}
The pipeline cost around €1 billion. The construction was completed in 2011 and in August 2011 Nord Stream was connected with the OPAL pipeline.
{{cite news
| first = John | last = Blau
| agency = Deutsche Welle
| title = Nord Stream pipeline now connected to German link
| url= http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15345814,00.html
| date = 2011-08-26
| accessdate=2011-09-10}}
Project company
The pipeline was constructed by OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH, a subsidiary of Wingas.{{cite press release
|publisher = Wingas
|url = http://www.wingas.de/pi-ont-08-01.html?&L=1
|title = OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH applies for exemption from regulation. Project company plans Nord Stream pipeline links
|date = 2008-07-25
|accessdate = 2008-08-09
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110719114410/http://www.wingas.de/pi-ont-08-01.html?&L=1
|archive-date = 2011-07-19
|url-status = dead
}} It is operated by OPAL Gastransport GmbH & Co KG, owned by WIGA Transport Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Wintershall Dea and Gazprom.
Access by Gazprom
Polish state-run gas firm PGNiG and PGNiG Supply & Trading tried to restrict Gazprom's access to the pipeline. Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf lifted the restrictions {{Cite web | url=https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/31072017/gazprom-gets-access-to-opal-pipeline/ |title = Gazprom gets access to OPAL pipeline|date = 2017-07-31}}
After the decision Gazprom increased the throughput to 72.5 million m3/d (26.462 billion/year).{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}
See also
{{Portal|Germany|Energy}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category|OPAL (pipeline)}}
- [http://www.opal-pipeline.com OPAL Pipeline - official Project website]
- [http://www.opal-nel-transport.de/ Project company website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Opal Pipeline}}