Russia is burning off large amounts of natural gas that it previously would have exported to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, analysis suggests.

Experts at Norway-based Rystad Energy say satellite monitoring of radiant heat levels at a new liquified natural gas (LNG) facility being built near the Finnish border indicates the practice has been ongoing since 11 July – and an estimated $10m (£8.4m) worth of gas is being burned every day.

The flaring first came to light a few weeks ago when Finnish people noticed a large flame on the horizon at the Russian border.

Analysis by the independent energy research company suggests around 4.34 million cubic metres of gas is being burned every day.

While the flaring may be part of testing procedures at the Portovaya LNG plant or a lack of coordination between different operating segments, experts said “the likely magnitude and duration of this continuous flaring period is quite extreme”.

The Portovaya plant, which is northwest of St Petersburg and is planned to start up later this year, is close to a compressor station at the start of the Nord Stream 1 undersea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany.

Supply was cut off for 10 days in July while the major pipeline was undergoing annual maintenance, and while it has since resumed, the gas flow is running at a fifth of its capacity.

Putin to increase size of Russian armed forces by 137,000 starting in 2023

Russian rocket attack on train station in central Ukraine kills 25 people

Moscow families enjoy day out at war games exhibition as Ukraine marks Independence Day

Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled energy company, has cited faulty or delayed equipment as the main reason behind this.

Germany disputes this, saying it is a pretext and that Moscow is using gas as a weapon to push back against Western pressure over its invasion of Ukraine – fuelling soaring prices and the deepening cost of living crisis ahead of winter.

Read more:
UK imported no fuels from Russia in June
Putin to increase size of Russian armed forces

Russia denies this, and says Western sanctions are the reason for high gas prices.

Scientists are also concerned about the quantities of carbon dioxide and soot the Portovaya LNG plant is creating.

“Of particular concern with flaring at Arctic latitudes is the transport of emitted black carbon northward where it deposits on snow and ice and significantly accelerates melting,” Professor Matthew Johnson, from Carleton University in Canada, told the BBC.

“Some highly cited estimates already put flaring as the dominant source of black carbon deposition in the Arctic and any increases in flaring in this region are especially unwelcome.”

Related posts:

Arrests after police raid home stadium of Spanish football giants Barcelona Bunny Wailer, last surviving member of Bob Marley and the Wailers, dies aged 73 Yellow Wiggle to quit children’s music group after 11 years Stunning pictures show inside otherworldly ice caves appearing in the Austrian Alps Brazil’s president should face homicide charges over 95,000 COVID-19 deaths, draft report finds Russian aircraft ‘buzzed’ Royal Navy aircraft carrier, says defence minister, as sea search continues for ditched stealth fighter ‘It’s a crime’: Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon reaches highest level since 2006 Ukraine enters state of emergency – as Pentagon says 80% of Russian forces in attack position Ukrainian city of Mariupol on verge of humanitarian catastrophe, says mayor – as 160,000 civilians trapped Nineteen people shot dead at clandestine cockfight as Mexican drug gang violence worsens Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators ‘suffered symptoms of suspected chemical weapons poisoning’ Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon with injury – for Kyrgios to compete in final