What is the Nord Stream pipeline and why was it built?
Nord Stream is two Baltic Sea gas pipeline projects from Russia to Germany that were the first to bypass Ukraine and Poland, and three of their four pipes were knocked out by 2022 explosions.
Covers: The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines: their route, capacity, ownership, the stated economic and political reasons for building them, and the controversies and 2022 sabotage. Does not cover the full history of EU–Russia energy relations or detailed engineering specifications.
Also answers: What was Nord Stream 2 for? · Nord Stream pipeline explained · Nord Stream 1 and 2 purpose
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The short answer
Evidence-backed AI-prepared starting mapNord Stream is a set of offshore natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, built to supply Western Europe with Russian gas. It comprises two separate projects, Nord Stream 1 (NS1) and Nord Stream 2 (NS2), each made up of two physical pipes (NS1 A and B, NS2 A and B), for four pipes in total. Both start in Russia and land at…12
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At a glance
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3 pipes
- limited new markets31–47%
- pivot to Asia13–38%
The evidence behind it
4 sources- Other studies and data1
- Background3
Published in 2025 and 2026
| Source | Kind | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Nord Stream (Wikipedia) | Background | Unknown |
| Nord Stream pipelines sabotage (Wikipedia) | Background | Unknown |
| The global implications of a Russian gas pivot to Asia. | Other studies and data | 2025 |
| Germany puts Ukrainian on trial accused of blowing up Nord Stream pipelines | Background | 2026 |
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Nord Stream is two projects — NS1 and NS2 — each with two pipes, running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Lubmin, Germany; NS1 entered service in 2011.1
Evidence-backedThey were the first pipelines to bypass Ukraine and Poland and deliver Russian gas directly to Western Europe.1
Evidence-backedOwnership is a five-company consortium including Gazprom, Wintershall Dea, E.ON, Gasunie and ENGIE.1
Evidence-backedOn 26 September 2022, explosions and leaks hit three of the four pipes, rendering them inoperable; Denmark, Germany and Sweden called it sabotage.2
Evidence-backedModelling suggests Russia's gas exports stay well below pre-2022 levels through 2040, with the size of the fall depending on China's gas strategy.3
Evidence-backed
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Pick the situation closest to yours. Each answer says what it rests on.
If you want the basic facts of what Nord Stream is
start with the route (Russia to Lubmin, Germany), the two projects and four pipes, and the 2011 start of NS1.1
Evidence-backedIf you are asking why they were built
the sources support the stated purpose of transporting Russian gas to Germany and Western Europe, and the fact that they bypassed Ukraine and Poland; the fuller economic and political arguments are not covered here.1
Evidence-backedIf you are following the sabotage story
treat the explosions as confirmed and the description as sabotage as the finding of three national investigations, while responsibility remains unconfirmed and a trial is ongoing.24
Evidence-backedIf you are interested in the consequences for Russian gas exports
the modelled ranges are 31–47% below 2020 levels by 2040 with limited new markets, or 13–38% below under a pivot to Asia, with China's strategy the key uncertainty.3
Evidence-backedThe full explanation
Evidence-backed AI-prepared starting mapNord Stream is a set of offshore natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, built to supply Western Europe with Russian gas. It comprises two separate projects, Nord Stream 1 (NS1) and Nord Stream 2 (NS2), each made up of two physical pipes (NS1 A and B, NS2 A and B), for four pipes in total. Both start in Russia and land at Lubmin, Germany. NS1 runs from Vyborg in northwestern Russia near Finland and entered service in 2011; NS2 runs from Ust-Luga in northwestern Russia near Estonia. They were the first pipelines to bypass Ukraine and Poland and deliver Russian gas directly to Western Europe. Ownership is a consortium of five energy companies: Gazprom, Wintershall Dea, PEG Infrastruktur (E.ON), N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and ENGIE. On 26 September 2022, explosions and gas leaks hit three of the four pipes, rendering them inoperable.12
- Evidence 17
- Interpretation 1
The full story · 4 chapters
01
What the pipelines are
AI summary:Nord Stream is two projects, NS1 and NS2, each with two pipes, running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Lubmin, Germany, owned by a five-company consortium.
Evidence-backed: Nord Stream is a set of offshore natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany to provide Western Europe with natural gas. It is two separate projects, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, and each project consists of two pipes — NS1 A and B and NS2 A and B — making four physical pipes in total. Both pipelines start in Russia and land at Lubmin, Germany. NS1 runs from Vyborg in northwestern Russia near Finland and entered service in 2011, operated by Nord Stream AG. NS2 runs from Ust-Luga in northwestern Russia near Estonia. They were the first pipelines to bypass Ukraine and Poland and deliver Russian gas directly to Western Europe.1
Evidence-backed: Ownership sits with a consortium of five energy companies: Gazprom international projects North 1 LLC (a Gazprom Group company), Wintershall Dea AG, PEG Infrastruktur AG (E.ON), N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and ENGIE. The sabotage source describes the pipelines as majority owned by Gazprom, the Russian majority state-owned gas company.12
02
Why they were built
AI summary:They were built to carry Russian gas directly to Germany, the first pipelines to bypass Ukraine and Poland, and later became caught up in the rupture in Russia-Europe gas trade.
Evidence-backed: The stated purpose is to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, supplying Western Europe. A distinctive feature is the direct Russia-to-Germany route: they were the first pipelines to bypass Ukraine and Poland, delivering Russian gas straight to Western Europe rather than through those transit countries. The sources describe them as two of twenty-three natural gas pipelines between Europe and Russia, so they are part of a wider network rather than a unique link.12
Interpretation: The sources do not set out the full economic and political arguments made for and against building the pipelines, so the debate over the reasons for building is only partly captured here. What is clear from the record is that the pipelines became entangled with the wider rupture in Russia–Europe gas trade after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: before the September 2022 leaks, the pipelines were filled with gas but were not transporting it because of the invasion.2
03
Controversy and the 2022 sabotage
AI summary:On 26 September 2022 explosions and leaks hit three of the four pipes, which Denmark, Germany and Sweden called sabotage, and a man is on trial in Germany over the attack.
Evidence-backed: On 26 September 2022, a series of underwater explosions and consequent gas leaks occurred on three of the four Nord Stream pipes, rendering them inoperable. The leaks were in international waters but within the economic zones of Denmark and Sweden. Denmark, Germany and Sweden each initiated separate investigations and described the explosions as sabotage. The leaks occurred one day before Poland and Norway opened the Baltic Pipe running through Denmark, bringing gas from the North Sea rather than from Russia as the Nord Stream pipelines do. Russia asked for an international investigation at the UN Security Council, which was rejected with 3 votes in favour out of 15.2
Evidence-backed: Four years after the attacks, a Ukrainian man, Serhii K, is in court in Germany accused of a plot to destroy Russia's gas pipelines to Germany. This is a reported accusation in an ongoing trial, not a finding of responsibility.4
Evidence-backed: Gazprom halted NS1 delivery indefinitely from 31 August 2022, officially because of maintenance — shortly before the explosions.1
04
What happened to Russian gas exports afterwards
Evidence-backed: Modelling of the post-invasion gas trade finds that Russia struggles to regain pre-crisis gas export levels. Compared with 2020, Russia's gas exports are down by 31–47% in 2040 where new markets are limited, and by 13–38% under a pivot-to-Asia strategy. How far Russia recovers depends heavily on China's gas demand and how China balances climate and energy-security objectives, alongside Europe's push towards LNG and the pace of its low-carbon transition.3
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On September 2022, explosions and leaks hit three of the four pipes, rendering them inoperable; Denmark, Germany and Sweden called it sabotage.
Nord Stream is two projects — NS1 and NS2 — each with two pipes, running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Lubmin, Germany; NS1 entered service in 2011.
They were the first pipelines to bypass Ukraine and Poland and deliver Russian gas directly to Western Europe.
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- 1Nord Stream (Wikipedia)WikipediaPublished Oct 10, 2026Checked Oct 14, 2026
“Nord Stream (German–English mixed expression for "North Stream"; Russian: Северный поток, Severny potok) is a set of offshore natural gas pipelines which run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany to provide Western Europe with natural gas. It comprises two separate projects, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Each of the pipelines comprises two pipes, NS1 A and B as well as NS2 A and B, making a total of 4 physical pipes. Both pipelines start in Russia and land in Lubmin, Germany. NordStream is owned by a consortium of 5 energy companies: Gazprom international projects North 1 LLC (Gazprom Group company), Wintershall Dea AG, PEG Infrastruktur AG (E.ON), N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and ENGIE. It was the first pipeline that bypassed Ukraine and Poland to deliver Russian natural gas directly to West Europe. Nord Stream 1 (NS1) runs from Vyborg, in northwestern Russia near Finland, and entered service in 2011. It was operated by Nord Stream AG. From 31 August 2022, Gazprom halted delivery indefinitely, officially because of maintenance. Nord Stream 2 (NS2) runs from Ust-Luga in northwestern Russia near Estonia.”
- 2Nord Stream pipelines sabotage (Wikipedia)WikipediaPublished Oct 14, 2026Checked Oct 14, 2026
“On 26 September 2022, a series of underwater explosions and consequent gas leaks occurred on 3 of 4 Nord Stream pipes, rendering them inoperable. The Nord Stream 1 (NS1) and Nord Stream 2 (NS2) are two of twenty-three natural gas pipelines between Europe and Russia. The leaks were located in international waters, but within the economic zones of Denmark and Sweden. Both pipelines were built to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, and are majority owned by the Russian majority state-owned gas company, Gazprom. Before the leaks, the pipelines were filled with natural gas but were not transporting it as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The leaks occurred one day before Poland and Norway opened the Baltic Pipe running through Denmark, bringing in gas from the North Sea, rather than from Russia as the Nord Stream pipelines do. Russia asked for an international investigation at the UN Security Council which was rejected with 3 votes in favor out of 15. Denmark, Germany and Sweden each initiated separate investigations, describing the explosions as sabotage.”
- 3The global implications of a Russian gas pivot to Asia.Nature communications (Pye et al.)Published Jan 4, 2025Checked Oct 14, 2026
“Recent years have seen unprecedented shifts in global natural gas trade, precipitated in large part by Russia's war on Ukraine. How this regional conflict impacts the future of natural gas markets is subject to three interconnected factors: (i) Russia's strategy to regain markets for its gas exports; (ii) Europe's push towards increased liquified natural gas (LNG) and the pace of its low carbon transition; and (iii) China's gas demand and how it balances its climate and energy security objectives. A scenario modelling approach is applied to explore the potential implications of this geopolitical crisis. We find that Russia struggles to regain pre-crisis gas export levels, with the degrees of its success contingent on China's strategy. Compared to 2020, Russia's gas exports are down by 31-47% in 2040 where new markets are limited and by 13-38% under a pivot to Asia strategy. We demonstrate how integrating energy geopolitics and modelling enhances our understanding of energy futures.”
- 4Germany puts Ukrainian on trial accused of blowing up Nord Stream pipelinesBBC NewsPublished Oct 14, 2026Checked Oct 14, 2026
“Four years after the attacks, Serhii K is in court accused of a plot to destroy Russia's gas pipelines to Germany.”
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Open questions
What is the transport capacity of each Nord Stream pipe, and how much of Europe's gas demand did NS1 actually supply before 2022?
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What economic and political arguments were made for and against building NS1 and NS2, and by whom?
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Who was responsible for the September 2022 explosions, and what have the Danish, German and Swedish investigations concluded?
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What is the current legal and operational status of Nord Stream 2, which was never put into service?
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