Baltic Gas Pipeline Reported Leak

The Finland, Estonia undersea Balticconnector gas pipeline was taken out of service on 8 October due to a suspected leak, according to Gasgrid Finland and Estonian gas TSO Elering.

• The operators noticed an unusual drop in pressure in the pipeline. “Based on observations, it was suspected that the offshore pipeline between Finland and Estonia was leaking,” Gasgrid Finland said in a statement. “The valves in the offshore pipeline are now closed and the leak is thus stopped.”
• Both operators gave no reason for the suspected leak and said they were investigating it together.
• The pipeline, which can export in either direction depending on where demand is greatest, was transporting a volume of around 30GWh/d from Finland to Estonia at the time of the incident, Gasgrid said.
• In the meantime, the Finnish gas system is stable and supply of gas has been secured through the Inkoo floating LNG terminal for the time being.
• The 77 km Balticconnector pipeline between Inkoo in Finland and Paldiski in Estonia crosses the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea that stretches eastwards into Russian waters and ends at the port of St Petersburg.