Marine pipeline specialists finished welding the last joint of the second line of Nord Stream. The last joint of the combined marine section of the second line leads to the onshore portion and the ground infrastructure on the Russian coast in the port near Vyborg. Filling the second line with buffer gas is planned to begin in the coming days, which is the final stage before the line’s commissioning.

Gas supplies to Europe with the use of the second pipeline of Nord Stream are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2012.