Nord Stream to Share its Survey Database for a Better Future of the Baltic Sea

Nord Stream to Establish Environmental Data and Information Fund

HELSINKI, February 10 - At the Baltic Sea Action Summit in Helsinki today, Nord Stream
took a further concrete step in line with its firm commitment to preserve the
Baltic Sea. Nord Stream decided to establish a new Data and Information Fund
to utilise its extensive knowledge and survey data for further research and
preservation of the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream will share the valuable knowledge
which it has gathered over several years for the purposes of preparing and
submitting the relevant documentation in pursuit of corresponding permits for
the construction and operation of the natural gas pipelines through the
Baltic Sea

"The Baltic Sea is the home of our project. Therefore, we want
to actively participate in its improvement as part of our Baltic Sea
co-operation. The Baltic Sea Action Summit is a unique opportunity, bringing
together various parties and investments made for the common good," said
Matthias Warnig, Managing Director Nord Stream AG.

The objective of the Fund is to increase existing knowledge
regarding the state of the Baltic Sea and its preservation. The new Fund will
compile and convert the various data, for example high-resolution bathymetry
and sediment-type data, into usable information that is needed to conduct
projects within the HELCOM's Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP). Nord Stream will
equip the Fund with the data, as well as with IT hard- and software and human
resources for this purpose. Data which is subject to legal restrictions by
laws of the Baltic Sea countries will be excluded from the Fund's database.
Nord Stream will liaise with national authorities on this question.

The unique data gathered by Nord Stream covers the entire
range of HELCOM's Baltic Sea Action Plan priorities, including
eutrophication, hazardous substances, environmentally-friendly maritime
activities and biodiversity. Nord Stream has invested over 100 million euros
in conducting the most extensive environmental studies of the Baltic Sea.

"We hope that the data we have gathered will help to form a
better picture of the challenges which the Baltic Sea is facing. We also want
to encourage universities and researchers around the Baltic Sea to create new
solutions to improve the state of our sea," said Warnig.

The Nord Stream Data and Information Fund will be
complementary to the already existing data pools, e.g. HELCOM. Therefore, in
the first phase of setting up the Fund in 2010, Nord Stream intends to work
in co-operation with other stakeholders in this field, such as HELCOM, the
Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG), universities and NGOs active in Baltic Sea
research. In the second phase in 2011-2013, the database infrastructure and
data management system will be completed and the database will be filled with
the pre-construction survey data as well as with environmental monitoring
information. The Fund will start selecting applicants and distributing data
in co-operation with relevant stakeholders in 2013. Nord Stream will maintain
the database until 2021, in line with many of the HELCOM projects.

The Baltic Sea Action Summit (BSAS) is a joint initiative of
the President of Finland, the Finnish Prime Minister and the BSAG. Its
objective is to join resources of public, private and third-party actors for
the benefit of the Baltic Sea.

    For further information, please contact:
    Irina Vasilyeva, Communications Manager, Nord Stream AG
    Mobile: +41-79-239-5339
    Email: press@nord-stream.com

For further information, please contact: Irina Vasilyeva, Communications Manager, Nord Stream AG, Mobile: +41-79-239-5339, Email: press at nord-stream.com