Not at the last line. May Chronicles of "Potok"
Photo: James Offer / flickr.com
Plus gasification of the whole country
May 2021 year. Despite the message in the subtitle, don't even dream of socialism. Even the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, if it suddenly wins the parliamentary elections, which is hard to believe, you will not be able to organize it. But...
Using for the next chronicles the title of the legendary novel by Valentin Pikul, we hardly got rid of the temptation to look into the past a little differently. Through Literaturnaya Gazeta and the 12 Chairs Club, popular before the fierce battles for a subscription, on its back page.
There was published "Stormy Stream" by Yevgeny Sazonov, who never became Kozma Prutkov of the 2021th century, although he was quoted regularly then, even by the leaders of the country. So the saga with the long-suffering second "Nord Stream" in May XNUMX came to the very line when everyone is aware, but few really understand anything.
But the process is going on. And this, you see, is the main thing, although this will not add gas to the homes of Russians somewhere in the wilderness of the Perm Territory. To promise is not to marry. Perhaps they will reach the line, but at Gazprom's prices, very many are unlikely to agree to receive that gas.
By all indications, the Russian public should have been overwhelmed with applause both on the victory, almost a foregone conclusion, in the struggle for the flow, and on the long-awaited promises to gasify Russia. Nevertheless, there will be enough in the chronicles.
There were already quite a few events, even if in May they were regularly overshadowed by others. Let's start with the main thing - there is an agreement on a meeting between the leaders of Russia and the United States, and the second of them on the topic of "flow" is quite openly backing down.
Photo: Phil Roeder / flickr.com
The explanation from Joe Biden is the envy of the pragmatist Don Trump. Because there is no benefit from sanctions at colossal costs. By the way, from the exit from the "nuclear deal" - too, and there "sleepy Joe" backtracks after the galloping "Donald rabbit".
Perhaps, in general, the time has come for the trading world after the trade wars? However, do not flatter yourself ...
This is not surrender
Let's remind for a start that in the last days of April came the long-awaited news: in the waters of Denmark, the Akademik Chersky, a crane-assembly transport-laying vessel KMTUS, again joined the construction of the first string of Nord Stream-2.
At the same time, the transport and stowage barge TUB "Fortuna", occupied on the second line, was prepared for work at a difficult intersection - at the intersection of the second stream with the first. The ships of the Baltic Sea remained in the construction zone. fleet Russian Navy.
3 May. The German Foreign Ministry made it clear to the American State Department that it is unrealistic to use the Nord Stream 2 project to put pressure on Russia, especially since Europe buys the same Russian gas via other routes.
The Americans were also reminded that they buy significant volumes of oil from Russia. While completing the construction of SP-2, Russian Gazprom does not stop using the Ukrainian route for gas supplies to Europe. Additional volumes are purchased at regular auctions.
However, an increase in the volume of Ukrainian transit is unlikely, since the gas corporation is not ready to overpay. In addition, the policy of “drying up” the European market, used from the experience of the XNUMXs, is effective.
5 May. It became known that according to Gazprom's reports for 2020, there was an eight-fold decrease in net profit. The concern described the situation as expected, and experts say the result is not bad for such a difficult year.
Photo: gazprom.ru
At the Investor Day, Gazprom representatives recalled the growth in gas demand in key markets, primarily in China. The concern plans to continue to follow the new vector for the development of low-carbon energy, including ensuring the prospect of using the Nord Streams for the transportation of hydrogen.
May 5-6. TUB "Fortuna", which after a ten-day pause returned to the construction of the gas pipeline on May 2, practically did not move over the next three days. Meanwhile, KMTUS "Akademik Chersky", having covered 1,669 km in five days, unexpectedly left the area of work.
May 6-11. TUB Fortuna returned to construction and was preparing to cross the intersection with Nord Stream-1. KMTUS "Akademik Chersky" has also returned to the construction area.
And not even a separate world
11 May. The laying of pipes for the first offshore section of the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline has resumed near the construction site of SP-2. The world's largest pipe-laying vessel, Pioneering Spirit, owned by the Swiss company Allseas, has been involved in the construction.
The part of the pipeline adjacent to the Danish coast was laid by the Tog Mor pipelayer in the first days of May.
13 May. After the completion of preparation, TUB "Fortuna" promptly laid a part of its second string, Nord Stream 2, which crosses the existing Nord Stream.
KMTUS "Akademik Chersky" has completed the construction of its first section in the Danish EEZ and continues to work after turning slightly to the west.
May 14-17. Russian vessels actively used favorable weather in the construction zone of the "Nord Stream-2" in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Denmark to the south of the island. Bornholm.
17 May. The Federal Maritime Hydrographic Agency of Germany (Bundesamt für seeschifffahrt und hydrographie, BSH) announced permission to "immediately continue the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas trunkline (MGP) in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Germany."
The temporary suspension of the permit issued until the end of May was related to the claims of the environmental organizations Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) and Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU).
Environmentalists are expressing alarm at every step of the Russian builders, not paying attention to the work on the Baltic Pipe, which is being carried out by the Swiss ship Pioneer Spirit.
19 May. It became known that the US administration will refrain from imposing sanctions on the operator of the Nord Stream 2 construction project - Nord Stream 2 AG and its head M. Warnig.
At the same time, the US State Department reported that in the near future they will send a report to Congress with a list of persons, as well as several Russian ships that are involved in activities subject to US sanctions related to the construction of Nord Stream 2.
After a protracted confrontation, experts from the US administration of the United States managed to "To determine that the only possible way to stop Nord Stream 2 is to impose sanctions against end-users of gas in Germany."
And at the same time, they came to the conclusion that "this will completely spoil the American-German relations."
The calm after the storm?
20 May. The report announced the day before was presented to the US Congress. A statement has been published on the State Department's website. The list of sanctioned companies and individuals participating in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline includes 4 vessels, 5 organizations and 1 individual.
Photo: Nord Stream AG
Unexpectedly for everyone, the project operator, Nord Stream 2 AG, and its executive director M. Warnig (pictured) were included in it. At the same time, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, commenting on the decision, noted that it is in the US national interests to abandon sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG, M. Warnig and company officials.
22 May. The sanctions have passed the procedure of "implementation" in the US Treasury. At the same time, the project operator, Nord Stream 2 AG, and its top managers are not on the OFAC list.
On the same day, TUB "Fortuna" completed the construction of the final section of the second string of "Nord Stream-2" in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Denmark and entered the EEZ of Germany.
27 May. It is reported that TUB "Fortuna" can fully complete the construction of the second line of the SP-2 by June 4, 2021.
31 May. TUB "Fortuna" and KMTUS "Akademik Chersky" continued work on laying the first and second strings of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline.
Information