Explosion Cuts One Of Main Russia - EU Natural Gas Pipelines Near Kiev - AFP

[hatrack]

KIEV (AFP) - An explosion in Ukraine has knocked out of service one of the main pipelines exporting Russian natural gas to the European Union, the Ukrainian emergency situations ministry told AFP on Monday.

A "large explosion" cut the pipeline, which carries Siberian gas through Ukraine to Germany and other EU clients, ministry spokeswoman Viktoria Ruban said.

The blast occurred at about 1125 GMT on a section near the Ukrainian capital Kiev, she said.

A 30-metre (32-feet) length of pipeline was torn off, with debris hurled 150 metres away.

EDIT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070507/bs_afp/ukraineenergygas_070507150304;_ylt=Aqh3ebwecS9XQ4d1GyslbmGAsnsA

[jpak]

1. Terror or Error???

:shrug:

[hatrack]

3. Nothing in the article to indicate either way

nt

[jobycom]

2. I wonder how Halliburton got the explosives into Russia? nt

[Eugene]

4. Blast hits Ukraine gas pipeline, flows unaffected - Reuters

Source: Reuters

Blast hits Ukraine gas pipeline, flows unaffected
07 May 2007 16:55:38 GMT
Source: Reuters

-snip-

By Natalya Zinets

KIEV, May 7 (Reuters) - An explosion destroyed a 30-metre section of
the trunk gas pipeline taking Russian gas across Ukraine to Europe on
Monday, but Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom said flows of gas
were unaffected.

"There has been no reduction in gas supplies to European customers,"
Gazprom said in a statement.

Gazprom customers in eastern Europe reported no disruption to supplies.

A spokesman for Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry initially said the blast
had stopped the flow of gas to Europe, which gets a quarter of its gas
from Russia. Another spokesman later said a by-pass pipeline had come
on stream and flows to Europe were unaffected.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L07340301.htm

[Eugene]

5. Negligence Blamed in Gas Pipeline Blast - AP

Source: Associated Press

Negligence Blamed in Gas Pipeline Blast

Tuesday May 8, 2007 1:16 PM

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Negligence was to blame for the explosion
of a natural gas pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Europe,
Ukraine's top prosecutor said Tuesday.

Monday's blast destroyed about 100 feet of the Urenhoi-
Pomary-Uzhhorod line south of Kiev. Nobody was injured.

Prosecutor General Svyatoslav Piskun said that shifting soil
led to a break in the pipeline. He said officials should have
been able to spot the natural changes occurring and taken
action to build up the soil around the pipeline.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6617022,00.html