Norway: Small explosion likely occurred near Estonia-Finland gas pipeline

Balticconnector connects the gas transmission networks of Estonia and Finland and is a precondition for an efficient regional gas market and the diversification of sources of supply (LNG terminals, biomethane, etc.) in the Baltic-Finnish region. Photo: Sander Ilvest

A small explosion likely occurred near the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland in the early hours on Sunday, the Norwegian seismology institute Norsar reported on Tuesday evening.

The institute’s research director Timo Tiira told the Finnish news agency STT that the explosion was of very low magnitude.

«It was barely detectable by our measurement stations,» he said.

Finland has not yet had a chance to analyze this information, as it was relayed on Tuesday evening.

According to Norwegian data, the explosion had a magnitude of 1.0. It occurred at 1:20 a.m., approximately 20 kilometers north of the northwestern Estonian port town of Paldiski.

Norsar stated in their message that the data about the location and magnitude of the explosion are not yet certain.

Norway has invested in seismic monitoring and automatically monitors activities both within its own country and in nearby regions.

Last year, Norsar also registered explosions in the Nord Stream gas pipeline. At that time, the explosions had a magnitude of 2.2, equating to a noticeable earthquake.