The controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany may supply 5.6 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe this year, Gazprom said on its Telegram channel on Thursday. Gazprom’s announcement caused European benchmark gas prices to drop 10 percent on Thursday morning. Europe’s gas prices have hit record levels in recent weeks amid higher demand and lower supply, including from Gazprom. The operating company behind the project, Switzerland-based Nord Steam 2 AG, told Reuters today that construction is 99 percent complete. The Fortuna pipe-laying vessel from Russia is working on the final part of the construction, Nord Steam 2 AG told Reuters. Earlier reports from German news outlet Deutsche Welle suggested that the construction works for the pipeline are expected to be completed on August 23. At the end of July, one of the western investors in the project, Austria’s OMV, said that Nord Stream […]