LONDON (Archyde.com) – European nations are stepping up alarm over a leak in the Nord Stream pipeline, which sends gas from Russia to Europe, as sabotage, to ensure the security of other energy supply systems In order to do so, they embarked on measures such as sending the military.
The European energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is escalating from an issue of securing supplies to an issue of securing the security of supply networks.
The US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said, “The most pressing concern would be the security of the pipelines linking Norway and Europe, including the Baltic Pipe, which has just begun shipping.” Indicated.
Norway is becoming increasingly important for Europe to weather the energy crisis. The country has ramped up production to become Europe’s largest gas supplier, supplying about 30% of European demand, said analysts at energy research firm Rystad Energy.
Russia, which supplied about 40% of Europe’s gas demand last year, now accounts for less than 10%.
Most of Norway’s oil, gas and hydropower is produced offshore and sent to Europe via a network of undersea pipelines and cables.
European nations blame sabotage for the Nord Stream gas leak and are growing concerned about the safety of these other subsea installations.
Norway has sent troops to protect more than 90 offshore oil and gas fields, as well as a network of 9,000 kilometers of gas pipelines.
The German energy authority has called for greater protection of critical energy infrastructure. The four largest operators of the country’s power transmission system said they are working closely together to ensure safety.
The soon-to-be-outgoing government of Italy’s Draghi has stepped up surveillance and control of the undersea pipelines that bring gas to Italy from the south and east. Two senior officials said.
The Swedish electricity authority will carry out an inspection of the submarine power transmission cable linking Sweden and Poland, according to Poland’s power transmission giant PSE. This cable is positioned to intersect the damaged Nord Stream.
“Fears of additional sabotage of critical infrastructure are growing, raising the risk of war escalating into wider regional conflicts,” said analysts at data giant Fitch Solutions. .
Europe has dozens of gas pipelines, some under construction or planned, connecting EU countries and Russia, Africa, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the North Sea.
There are also submarine power cables, power grids, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and other facilities that could be targeted for sabotage.
Of particular importance is the new ‘Baltic Pipe’ gas pipeline linking Norway and Poland, which started transporting to the Danish and Polish markets and end-users in neighboring countries from October 1st. This pipeline also crosses the Nord Stream near an island off the coast of Denmark.
Polish authorities monitor the submarine section of the Baltic Pipe. The Danish Energy Authority has issued a directive to strengthen the security of all electricity and gas infrastructure.
Energy infrastructure has long been vulnerable to cyberattacks.
This year, Ukraine announced it had thwarted an attempted Russian hacker attack on its power grid, which in the past has caused power outages.
In the United States, last year, a cyberattack shut down pipelines for five days. The United States is the largest exporter of LNG to Europe, and ensuring a stable supply is essential.
A fire at the Freeport LNG terminal in the United States in June sent European gas prices soaring, hurting exports.
Emily McClain, vice president at Rystad Energy, said: “When supply cuts (of the Nord Stream scale) occur, the consequences are inevitable. Even if the political climate swings pro-Russian in the short term, it is already deeply disruptive. It will be impossible to restore the European gas supply system that has been damaged.”
(Reporter by Nina Chestney)