Russia is flaring 4.34 million cubic meters of gas a day near the Finnish border, according to analysis by Rysta Energy. Scientists warn that the volume of carbon dioxide and soot from burning could exacerbate the melting of Arctic ice.
This is not good news for the planet, with climate change accentuating day by day. "Of particular concern with burning at arctic latitudes is the transport of emitted black carbon northwards, where it is deposited in snow and ice and significantly accelerates melt," explains Professor Matthew Johnson, from Carleton University in Canada. .
And while Russia burns natural gas, energy costs are skyrocketing in Europe. The gas would have previously been exported to Germany. Experts point out that this new liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, located in Portovaya, northwest of St. Petersburg, is burning an estimated ten million dollars each day.
It was the Finnish citizens who reported that something was wrong: a large flare had appeared on the horizon in early summer. Portovaya is located near a compression station at the start of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which transports gas under the sea to Germany. Supplies through the pipeline have been reduced since mid-July, with the Russians blaming technical problems for the restriction.
Germany, on the other hand, argues that it was a political move by Putin after the invasion of Ukraine. The German ambassador to the UK, Miguel Berger, has acknowledged that there is a risk that public support for Ukraine will decline this winter as the energy crisis intensifies: "It will depend a lot on the aid packages from our governments."
Since June, researchers have noted a significant increase in heat emanating from the facility, likely from gas flaring. This is not unusual in processing plants, usually for technical or safety reasons, but it has not been done on this scale before. Dr. Jessica McCarty, an expert in satellite data from the University of Miami in Ohio, says she has never seen anything like it: “Starting in June, we saw the peak and it hasn't disappeared. It has remained abnormally high.”
Mark Davis, CEO of Capterio, which seeks solutions for gas flaring, maintains that Russia's is a deliberate decision made for operational reasons. "Operators are often very reluctant to close facilities for fear it might be difficult or expensive to start again," he told BBC News. Others believe that Gazprom, the state-controlled Russian energy giant that owns the plant, may have intended to use that gas to make LNG, but may have had problems handling it and chose to burn it for safety.
It could also be the result of Europe's trade embargo. "This kind of long-term burning may mean they are missing some equipment," says Esa Vakkilainen, a professor of power engineering at LUT University in Finland. "They may not be able to make the high-quality valves needed in oil and gas processing," she details.
"While the exact reasons for the flaring are unknown, the volumes, emissions and location of the flare are a visible reminder of Russia's dominance of Europe's energy markets," says Sindre Knutsson of Rystad Energy.
Although European governments try to find ways to import less energy from Russia, it is difficult when Moscow used to supply them with 40% of the gas. As a consequence, the prices of alternative sources have risen. In response, some nations, such as Germany and Spain, are introducing energy-saving measures.
