A few weeks ago, Finns spotted a big flame on the horizon near the Russian border, which was the first indication of flare activity. Analysis indicates that around 4.34 million cubic meters of gas are consumed per day, which is worth an estimated $10 million.
Analysis reveals that Russia is burning enormous quantities of natural gas that it previously would have sold to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
Since July 11, according to satellite monitoring of heat levels at a new liquified natural gas factory near the Finnish border, an estimated $10m (£8.4m) worth of gas is being burned daily.
A few weeks ago, Finns spotted a big flame on the horizon near the Russian border, which was the first indication of flare activity.
Independent energy research firm Rystad Energy, based in Norway, estimates that approximately 4.34 million cubic meters of gas are consumed daily.
This is “enough gas to fuel 1.5 million European homes,” according to Sindre Knutsson, senior vice president of Rystad Energy’s gas and LNG markets.
In addition, he referred to the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions as an “environmental calamity.”
Although the flaring could be part of testing operations at the Portovaya LNG project or a result of a lack of coordination between different operational segments, according to analysts, “the likely quantity and duration of this continuous flaring period are rather extraordinary.”
Mr. Knutsson stated that numerous companies analyzing satellite data have made comparable observations, “confirming these radiant heat levels.”
“A large quantity of flaring is occurring at the LNG project that is now under development,” he stated.
The Portovaya facility, which is scheduled to begin operations this year and is located northwest of St. Petersburg, is near a compressor station at the beginning of the Nord Stream 1 subsea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany.
The pipeline was shut down for ten days in July for yearly maintenance, and while it has now reopened, the gas supply is running at a fifth of its capacity.
Gazprom, the state-owned energy firm in Russia, has blamed defective or delayed equipment as the primary cause.
Germany denies this, stating that it is a pretext and that Moscow is using gas as a weapon to strike back against Western pressure over its invasion of Ukraine – fueling surging prices and a worsening cost of living problem in advance of winter.
Russia refutes this claim and asserts that Western sanctions are to blame for rising gas prices.
Mr. Knutsson stated that the precise cause of the flare is unknown due to a lack of adequate communication from Gazprom or Russia.
As Russia is currently experiencing a “gas surplus,” he stated that there could be a lot of reasons for the flaring.
“There are numerous possible causes, but we do not know the precise one,” he stated.
There are also issues over the plant’s production of carbon dioxide and soot.
Mr. Knutsson stated, “This is equivalent to 9,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each day, which is an environmental catastrophe.”
