The Swiss project developer has filed an EEZ permit application with the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, seeking its approval to use the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for the construction of the pipelines in it.
Nord Stream 2 revealed that the permit is for a 374km pipeline that would run across the Finnish EEZ, which needs the consent of the Finnish government. The Finnish EEZ is contained in international waters.
Nord Stream 2 has also filed a water permit which is mandatory for constructing and operating the pipeline in Finnish waters.
The company stated: “In Finland, permitting procedure follows the environmental impact assessment procedure (EIA), which is a pre-requisite for proceeding to permitting phase.
“EIA phase was completed in July when the coordinating authority acknowledged the EIA report to be sufficient.”
Nord Stream 2 added that other permit procedures for its pipeline project are in progress in Russia, Sweden, Denmark and Germany in whose waters the pipelines will spread across.
The Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline will source natural gas from the Russian field Bovanenkovo in Yamal Peninsula and deliver it across Europe. According to the Gazprom subsidiary, Bovanenkovo holds nearly 4.9 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves which is claimed to be more than double the proven gas reserves of the European Union (EU).
The offshore export gas pipeline is expected to make a significant contribution to energy security in the EU by transporting enough gas to meet the needs of 26 million households.
Image: A pipe for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline is fitted in its wire cage. Photo: courtesy of Nord Stream 2.
