First Gas Passes Through NEL Pipeline, Germany

First supply of natural gas passes through NEL (Nordeuropäische Erdgasleitung) pipeline.

NEL connects the towns of Lubmin, where Nord Stream gas arrives from Russia, to Rehden in Lower Saxony. The distance between the two locations is 440 km. 20 billion cubic meters of “blue fuel” will pass through Rehden annually. One of Europe’s largest underground gas storage (UGS) facilities is located here with an active volume of more than 4 bcm.

Fully loaded, NEL pipeline will be able to meet up to 20 % of all Germany’s natural gas demand but there’s no plan to have the pipeline fully loaded yet.

There were a few challenges during the pipeline construction. A number of the issues can be attributed to the conflict between residents of Winsen and Stelle regions near Hamburg, which resulted in changes in the NEL route, which was moved further away from their homes. Near the town of Syke builders discovered a real treasure trove. While digging a trench they stumbled upon some gold jewellery that had been buried in the ground for approximately three thousand years!

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LNG World News Staff, November 06, 2012; Image: NEL Pipeline