The Nord Stream AG can boast “only minor and short-term impacts to the environment” caused by the construction of two 1224 km gas pipelines and their current operation in the Baltic. These findings, presented at the Baltic Sea Days in St. Petersburg, suggest the considerable sums totaling over 100 million euros spent on environmental studies and route design have paid off.

During construction, 22 companies were contracted to analyse 16 scientific subjects at about 1,000 sampling locations along the route from 2010 to 2012. The geophysical surveys covered roughly 40,000 line kilometres. After construction, data associated with the reinstatement and recovery of the Baltic Sea were also recorded and analysed.

According to Nord Stream, the results prove: Nord Stream’s responsibility for the environment and its objectives – to minimize the pipeline length, to avoid environmentally sensitive areas, and to keep restrictions on marine users to a minimum – were successfully met.