The 470 km OPAL project is being built by Wingas on behalf of OPAL NEL Transport GmbH and E.ON Ruhrgas AG. It will run from the German Baltic Sea coast through Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Brandenburg and Saxony to the Czech Republic. With a 56 inch diameter and a capacity of 36 Bcm/a, the OPAL Pipeline is the largest natural gas pipeline to be laid in Europe.

“We are very satisfied with the progress of the construction work so far,” said Managing Director of OPAL NEL Transport Bernd Vogel.

“Despite the long winter and difficult weather conditions at the start of the year, we are on schedule. We want to bring OPAL on stream in October 2011 together with the Nord Stream Pipeline,” he said.

A significant portion of the construction work in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and Saxony is expected to be completed toward the end of the year.

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There are currently 2,500 people working on the entire pipeline track between Greifswald and the Ore Mountains.

The builders will have to cross 172 roads, four highways, 27 rail lines and 39 rivers and streams before completing the construction work.

“The topsoil has been removed from more than 400 km of the pipeline track; over 400 km of pipe has been welded together,” said Wingas Chief Construction Manager Michael Muth, detailing the progress of construction work.

Mr Muth is confident that the pipeline will be completed on schedule. “We have already begun recultivating the farmland in some areas.”