Seismologists in Norway reported a possible explosion near the Balticconnector gas pipeline
Seismological scientists from the Norwegian seismic observation institute NORSAR recorded a probable explosion on the night of October 8 in the Baltic Sea near the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia.
It is clarified that a possible explosion could have occurred 20 kilometers north of the Estonian city of Paldiski at 01:20 local time (the same as Moscow). The magnitude is estimated at 1. As experts noted, this is much lower than the explosion at Nord Stream in September 2022. “Further analysis of the obtained data continues,” NORSAR added.
The cause of the accident is not clear, but in Finland they allowed external influence on the gas pipeline
Earlier, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö did not rule out sabotage on the Balticconnector gas pipeline.
It is likely that damage to both the gas pipeline and the telecommunications cable is the result of external influences
According to him, an investigation into the causes of the damage is already underway under the control of the authorities. After negotiations with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Finnish leader said that the alliance is ready to assist in the investigation into Balticconnector.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also admitted that damage to the gas pipeline could have occurred as a result of external influences. At the same time, he urged not to draw too hasty conclusions on this issue, reports Reuters.
It is too early to draw conclusions about who or what caused the damage
At the same time, the Chief of the General Staff of the country’s Armed Forces, Flag Admiral Janne Huusko, emphasized that there is no military threat to Finland.
It took months to repair the gas pipeline
The head of operator Gasgrid Finland, Janne Grönlund, said that repairs to the Balticconnector undersea gas pipeline could take months. He clarified that it is necessary to obtain permission to inspect the highway; it will take several days to prepare the equipment. According to Grönlund, in extreme cases, preventive work may take until the end of winter.
On October 8, the work of Balticconnector was suspended due to a leak. The point of damage is located in the central part of the Gulf of Finland, writes TASS. After the leak, natural gas prices in Europe rose by 8.8 percent and immediately exceeded 40 euros per megawatt-hour.
The Balticconnector is 77 kilometers long and has a capacity of up to 2.6 billion cubic meters per year. The gas pipeline runs along the bottom of the Baltic Sea from the Finnish Inkoo to the Estonian Paldiski. Finland receives gas from Latvian storage facilities via this route.
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Sabotage on Nord Streams
Last September, a similar story happened with the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. First, the pressure in both pipes dropped sharply, after which the valves were closed. The investigation showed that the gas pipelines were blown up by unknown persons.
On February 8, 2023, American journalist Seymour Hersh published an article in which he stated that the United States was involved in the sabotage of Nord Stream. According to the journalist, the operation was carried out by the US Navy; they used submarines to plant the bombs.
Earlier, Member of the European Parliament from Portugal Sandra Pereira asked the European Commission about the status of the investigation into sabotage on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. She also questioned what had been done to repair pipelines and minimize the impact of ruptures.
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