DNV completes verification for Baltic pipeline

Energinet, the Danish national transmission system operator for electricity and natural gas has received Certificates of Conformity (CoC) from DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, for its section of the major offshore Baltic Pipe project. The CoC’s were handed over at a ceremony in Energinet’s office in Ballerup, Denmark in December 2022. The £2billion gas pipeline is a strategic infrastructure project with the goal of creating a new gas supply corridor for the European market.

With an annual capacity of 10 billion cubic meters, the Baltic Pipe Project will allow gas transport from Norway to Denmark and Poland. DNV was contracted early in the project to deliver technical assurance services, and ultimately support the Authority with the permitting needed to take the new infrastructure into use. The contract scope included independent verification, complex independent modelling and submarine pipeline certification to the DNV certification regime DNV-SE-0475. Acceptance criteria comprised of the Danish Continental Shelf Law, the world recognized standard DNV-ST-F101, and the suite of underlying DNV standards and recommended practices. Work took place during the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, hook-up, and commissioning phases of the project.  

The Baltic Pipe achieved final investment decision in 2018 and was partly funded by the EU. By providing Poland with a new energy supply, enabling the country to move away from coal fired powerplants and reduce its overall CO2 emissions, the project aligns with the objective of the subsequent REPowerEU plan. This scheme sets out a series of measures to fast forward the green transition while increasing the resilience of the EU-wide energy system, in order to accelerate the move away from Russian fossil fuels. 

DNV’s 2022 Energy Transition Outlook launched recently in Copenhagen forecasts that natural gas will peak in 2036, then slowly taper off to end some 10% below today's levels by 2050. Gas has staying power owing to its diversity of uses: half of the demand for gas is as final energy in manufacturing, transport and buildings, and the other half through transformation for other final uses such as electricity, petrochemicals and hydrogen production.

Mick Cramer Jakobsen, Project Director, Energy Systems at DNV

Mick Cramer Jakobsen, Project Director, Energy Systems at DNV, said: “The Baltic Pipe project is extremely complex with many stakeholders. DNV is proud to work on projects that support energy security, reduce CO2 emissions and align with EU’s energy transition. We are pleased that Energinet selected DNV as an important partner in our role to provide assurance services to avoid risks for this capital infrastructure project.” 

Energinet's part of the large-scale project consists of 105 km pipeline in the North Sea, approximately 210 km pipeline underground across Denmark, an expansion of the receiving Nybro gas terminal, and a new compressor station at Everdrup in Southern Zealand. DNV also assisted with professional services to Energinet on the onshore pipelines, compressor station and gas terminal. 

The pipeline was opened on Tuesday, 27 September 2022 by the Danish Prime Minister (PM) Mette Frederiksen, Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki and the Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre.

Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President for Energy Systems, Northern Europe at DNV

Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President for Energy Systems, Northern Europe at DNV, added: “This project has become strategically important as Europe’s energy supply challenges came to the forefront of the agenda in recent months. The project represents a crucial step in Poland’s desire to free itself from its reliance on Russian gas and to decarbonize its economy in line with its commitment to the Paris agreement. 

“We are pleased to have been involved with this project and I am proud of our teams which worked tirelessly to provide assurance and technical expertise to Energinet, in line with our purpose of safeguarding life, property and environment.” 

Peter Hodal, CEO Energinet Gastransmission, added: “We are happy to receive the DNV certificates to permit conditions from the Danish Energy Authority. The start-up and export of natural gas to Poland on time was key for Energinet and we acknowledge the professionalism, engagement, access to pipeline experts and valuable service provided by DNV to the Baltic Pipe project.”

Baltic Pipe Project - Certificates of Conformity - ceremony Dec 2022

 The Certificates of Conformity were handed over at a ceremony in Energinet’s office in Ballerup, Denmark in December 2022.

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About DNV

DNV is an independent assurance and risk management provider, operating in more than 100 countries. Through its broad experience and deep expertise DNV advances safety and sustainable performance, sets industry standards, and inspires and invents solutions.  

Whether assessing a new ship design, qualifying technology for a floating wind farm, analysing sensor data from a gas pipeline or certifying a food company's supply chain, DNV enables its customers and their stakeholders to manage technological and regulatory complexity with confidence.  

Driven by its purpose, to safeguard life, property, and the environment, DNV helps its customers seize opportunities and tackle the risks arising from global transformations. DNV is a trusted voice for many of the world’s most successful and forward-thinking companies. 

In the energy industry 

DNV provides assurance to the entire energy value chain through its advisory, monitoring, verification, and certification services. As the world's leading resource of independent energy experts and technical advisors, the assurance provider helps industries and governments to navigate the many complex, interrelated transitions taking place globally and regionally, in the energy industry. DNV is committed to realizing the goals of the Paris Agreement, and supports customers to transition faster to a deeply decarbonized energy system. 

About Energinet 

Energinet is an independent public enterprise owned by the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy. They own, operate and develop the transmission systems for electricity and natural gas in Denmark.