Norway, currently Europe’s leading gas supplier, will tighten security around its oil facilities, the Norwegian government announced, following the alleged “sabotage” of Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
“The government has decided to implement measures to increase the security of infrastructure, land terminals and facilities on the Norwegian continental shelf,” Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland said in a statement issued Tuesday night.
The announcement comes after mysterious leaks, preceded by explosions, that affected the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines on Monday and recent drone sightings reported by oil companies around their platforms in Norwegian waters.
The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority this week called for “increased vigilance by all operators and shipowners on the continental shelf” in response to these drone sightings, which it said could cause an accident or attack.
Concerns have increased after large leaks, preceded by underwater explosions, have affected the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which link Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea since Monday.
“A lot of things can indicate that this is sabotage,” Aasland said.
An “act of sabotage” was also evoked by the president of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, Denmark and Sweden.
Now, as the main supplier of gas to Europe, replacing Russia – due to the war in Ukraine, which began on February 24 – Norway is linked to Europe by a vast set of gas pipelines that experts consider vulnerable to acts of sabotage.
Source: TSF
