Gasgrid Finland, a Finnish state-owned corporation and transmission system operator, has begun preliminary checks on Tuesday to detect the unusual 'gas leak' in the Balticconnector offshore gas pipeline that has been shut down since Sunday and that runs between Finland and Estonia.
Gasgrid Finland voiced concerns that damage resulting in a leak to the offshore gas pipeline was responsible for the unusual drop in pressure on the pipeline.
“The pipe section was isolated shortly after the discovery by closing Balticconnector’s valves. At the moment, gas transmission between Finland and Estonia has been halted. The state of the Finnish gas system is stable, and the supply of gas is secured via the Inkoo LNG floating terminal,” Gasgrid Finland relayed in a statement.
An investigation to determine the repairs needed on the offshore pipeline will soon be carried out in stages this week, followed by a plan for repairs with Estonia’s national gas transmission system operator, Elering.
However, Gasgrid Finland confirmed that the Finnish gas system is stable and the supply of gas from the country’s Inkoo LNG terminal has been secured.
Gasgrid Finland also divulged that market players have been instructed to secure their gas supplies by ordering through either the Inkoo or Hamina LNG terminals to ensure continuity of supply for the upcoming winter season.
Balticconnector is the first gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland and has been operational since the beginning of 2020. The bidirectional pipeline can transport around 7.2 million cubic meters of gas on a daily basis.
By Sibel Morrow
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr