| NEL pipeline | |
| Type: | Natural gas |
| Country: | Germany |
| Direction: | east-west |
| Start: | Lubmin |
| Through: | Sülstorf Achim |
| Finish: | Rehden |
| Owner: | NEL Gastransport GmbH |
| Partners: | Wintershall Dea Gazprom |
| Construction: | 2011 |
| Est: | 2012 (first stage) 2013 (second stage) |
| Length: | 440 |
| Diameter In: | 56 |
The NEL (Nordeuropäische Erdgasleitung (English: Northern European natural gas pipeline), formerly known as Norddeutsche Erdgasleitung, is a 440km (270miles) long natural gas pipeline in Germany.
The pipeline runs from Lubmin near Greifswald through Sülstorf and Achim to Rehden. It connects the Nord Stream 1 pipeline with the Rehden-Hamburg and MIDAL pipelines. The pipeline started operations on 5 November 2012.[1] Between Sülstorf and Achim, it uses a pre-existing installation.[2]
The diameter of the pipeline is and it uses operating pressure.[3] Its capacity is 20e9m3 of natural gas per year.[3] [4] The pipeline is expected to cost around €1 billion.[5]
The developer of the pipeline asked exemption from the network access and transit fees regulation; however, this request was denied.[6]
The pipeline was built by OPAL NEL TRANSPORT GmbH.[7] It is operated by NEL Gastransport GmbH,[3] owned by WIGA Transport Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Wintershall Dea and Gazprom.