Nord Stream 2 May Bypass Denmark

Denmark has yet to grant permit for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in its territorial waters. All other major countries involved in the project, including Russia, Germany, Finland and Sweden, have already issued papers allowing Nord Stream 2 to cross their national waters. Manfred Leitner, an executive board member of Austrian oil and gas company, OMV, has announced a plan stipulating an alternative route for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that would bypass Denmark, Sputnik reported. "As for Nord Stream 2, we have developed a different route, so the Nord Stream 2 Company will not require Danish approval. This would lead to additional costs, but a total project cost could still be maintained," Leitner told a press conference. According to Leitner, the Nord Stream 2 company has foreseen such complications in the total project cost and the pipeline would still cost just over $11 billion as planned. Nord Stream 2 stipulates the construction of gas pipelines from the Russian coast north of St. Petersburg to Germany.