北溪天然气管道泄漏是怎么回事？
近日，俄罗斯向欧洲输送天然气的两大海底管道「北溪」一二号管道连续发生泄漏爆炸，加剧欧洲能源危机，引发世界关注。
无注释原文：
Mysterious Blasts and Gas Leaks: What We Know About the Pipeline Breaks in Europe
The New York Times
Early this week, three separate leaks were discovered in two giant natural gas pipelines from Russia. The pipelines were filled with the fuel, and the ruptures produced gas bubbles half a mile wide that rose to the surface of the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm.
Explosions had been detected nearby just before the leaks occurred, and European governments have not yet identified the cause of the leaks in the pipelines, known as Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Political leaders in Europe and the United States have suggested that the incident was an act of sabotage.
Speculation has pointed to Russia, whose state-controlled energy company, Gazprom, is the main owner of the pipelines. A spokesman for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Dmitri S. Peskov, dismissed allegations of Russian involvement as “stupid” and pointed a finger at the United States.
The situation bears the hallmarks of a spy thriller. But analysts say that damaging the pipelines could be a significant escalation in the proxy energy war that has been waged since fighting began in Ukraine — a battle that could have serious consequences for millions of homes and businesses throughout Europe. Indeed, whoever damaged the pipelines may have meant to show Europeans that “nowhere is safe,” said Helima Croft, the head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
The damaged pipelines are critical links between Russia and Western Europe.
The two major lines were built to bring gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.
Nord Stream 1, which began operating in 2011, was until recently the main conduit for bringing gas to Germany — enough to supply more than half of the country’s annual consumption and still pass some along to its neighbors. The pipeline is roughly 760 miles long, most of it underwater.
Construction was completed last year on the second line, Nord Stream 2, which was intended to double those flows, providing a big, modern line into northwest Europe. But it never became fully operational: The German government shelved the project in February, just as Russia began to invade Ukraine.
Even though European countries have cut back their consumption of natural gas in response to high prices and entreaties from their governments, the fuel remains of vital importance for heating homes and keeping businesses running.
Neither pipeline was actively transporting gas at the time of the incidents. Gazprom has recently throttled back Nord Stream 1, citing technical issues. Critics have dismissed the action as political maneuvering by Russia as the fighting in Ukraine drags on.
The damage points to explosive devices.
The pipelines are built of steel coated with concrete so that they can withstand underwater pressures. In other words, it takes a lot of force to damage them.
“A gas leak of this nature is extremely rare,” Mr. Böttzauw said. “It is unlikely that three gas leaks would occur in one accident within 24 hours.”
Swedish seismologists on Monday detected two separate underwater explosions near where the leaks were later identified. Both lines of Nord Stream 1 were damaged, whereas only one of Nord Stream 2’s lines was ruptured, which means that, at least theoretically, gas could flow through the second line.
Hans Liwang, a professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, said examining the size of the crater on the seabed and the damage to the pipes could provide answers about the size of the explosive charge and the locations of the blasts.
“We will probably be able to figure out where this explosive device was placed by looking at the traces on the bottom,” he told Sweden’s Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.
But he added that leaking gas might have blown away important evidence, especially if, as some have speculated, the sabotage was carried out using underwater drones or divers.
Danish authorities said on Wednesday that a criminal investigation was underway to determine the cause of the rupture. Once that is complete, it is unclear how long it will take to repair the damage.
An official at a pipe-laying company in Europe said work could proceed only after safe conditions had been established, including by removing any gas or seawater from the pipeline.
Western sanctions placed on Russia may also complicate the cleanup and repair efforts because contractors may not want to do the work. In addition, Gazprom is no longer honoring business commitments and contracts, so it is not clear who would pay the costs.
- ◆ -
注：中文文本为机器翻译仅供参考，并非一一对应
含注释全文：
关于北溪天然气管道泄漏，我们目前所知道的
Mysterious Blasts and Gas Leaks: What We Know About the Pipeline Breaks in Europe
The New York Times
Early this week, three separate leaks were discovered in two giant natural gas pipelines from Russia. The pipelines were filled with the fuel, and the ruptures produced gas bubbles half a mile wide that rose to the surface of the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm.
本周早些时候，始于俄罗斯的两条巨型天然气管道分别发现了三个泄漏点。管道中充满燃料，破裂产生了宽度达800米的气泡，上浮到丹麦博恩霍尔姆岛附近的波罗的海表面。
pipeline
pipeline /ˈpaɪp.laɪn/ 表示“（常指铺设在地下的）管道，管线”，英文解释为“a very long large tube, often underground, through which liquid or gas can flow for long distances”
rupture
rupture /ˈrʌp.tʃər/ 表示“破裂；裂开；断裂”，英文解释为“an occasion when something explodes, breaks, or tears”如：a rupture of the pipeline 管道破裂。
Explosions had been detected nearby just before the leaks occurred, and European governments have not yet identified the cause of the leaks in the pipelines, known as Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Political leaders in Europe and the United States have suggested that the incident was an act of sabotage.
就在泄漏发生前，附近检测到了爆炸，而欧洲各国政府尚未确定被称为北溪一号和北溪二号管道泄漏的原因。欧洲和美国的政治领导人表示，这是一起蓄意破坏行为。
sabotage
Speculation has pointed to Russia, whose state-controlled energy company, Gazprom, is the main owner of the pipelines. A spokesman for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Dmitri S. Peskov, dismissed allegations of Russian involvement as “stupid” and pointed a finger at the United States.
相关猜测指向俄罗斯，该国的国有能源公司俄罗斯天然气工业股份公司（下称俄气公司）是这些管道的主要所有者。俄罗斯总统普京的发言人德米特里·佩斯科夫驳斥了有关俄罗斯参与的指控，称其“愚蠢”，并将矛头指向美国。
speculation
表示“推测；猜测；推断”，英文解释为“the act of forming opinions about what has happened or what might happen without knowing all the facts”举个🌰：
There was widespread speculation that she was going to resign.
人们纷纷推测她将辞职。
dismiss
point a finger at sb
表示“指责；矛头指向”，英文解释为“to accuse or blame (someone)”
The situation bears the hallmarks of a spy thriller. But analysts say that damaging the pipelines could be a significant escalation in the proxy energy war that has been waged since fighting began in Ukraine — a battle that could have serious consequences for millions of homes and businesses throughout Europe. Indeed, whoever damaged the pipelines may have meant to show Europeans that “nowhere is safe,” said Helima Croft, the head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
目前的事态就像一部间谍惊悚片。但是分析人士说，破坏管道可能是乌克兰战争开始以来一直在进行的能源代理战争的一次重大升级，这场战争可能对整个欧洲成百上千万家庭和企业产生严重后果。加拿大皇家银行资本市场大宗商品策略主管海利马·克罗夫特说，实际上，无论是谁破坏了管道，可能都是想向欧洲人表明，“没有什么地方是安全的。”
hallmark
escalation
proxy
表示“（由个人委托的）代理人，代表；代理权；代表权”，英文解释为“authority given to a person to act for someone else, such as by voting for them in an election, or the person who this authority is given to”如：a proxy vote 代投的一票。
wage
The damaged pipelines are critical links between Russia and Western Europe.
受损的管道是俄罗斯和西欧之间的重要连接。
The two major lines were built to bring gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.
这两条主要管道是为了从波罗的海海底将俄罗斯的天然气输送到德国。
Nord Stream 1, which began operating in 2011, was until recently the main conduit for bringing gas to Germany — enough to supply more than half of the country’s annual consumption and still pass some along to its neighbors. The pipeline is roughly 760 miles long, most of it underwater.
直到前不久，自2011年开始运营的北溪一号一直是向德国输送天然气的主要管道，足以供应该国超过一半的年消耗量，还将一部分输送给邻国。这条管道长约1223公里，大部分在水下。
conduit
conduit /ˈkɒn.dʒuː.ɪt/ 1）表示“（水、电线等的）管道，导管”，英文解释为“a pipe or passage for water or electrical wires to go through”
2）表示“（连接两地的）渠道”，英文解释为“a way of connecting two places”
Construction was completed last year on the second line, Nord Stream 2, which was intended to double those flows, providing a big, modern line into northwest Europe. But it never became fully operational: The German government shelved the project in February, just as Russia began to invade Ukraine.
第二条线路北溪二号的建设于去年完成，其目的是将运输量增加一倍，为燃气进入欧洲西北部提供一条现代化的大型线路。但它始终没有全面投入使用：今年2月，就在俄罗斯开始入侵乌克兰之际，德国政府搁置了这个项目。
shelve
invade
Even though European countries have cut back their consumption of natural gas in response to high prices and entreaties from their governments, the fuel remains of vital importance for heating homes and keeping businesses running.
尽管欧洲国家为了应对高价格和政府的恳求，减少了天然气的消费，但这种燃料对家庭取暖和维持企业运转仍然至关重要。
entreaty
entreaty /ɪnˈtriː.ti/ 表示“恳求；乞求；请求”，英文解释为“an attempt to persuade someone to do something”举个🌰：
She refused to become involved with him despite his passionate entreaties.
尽管他苦苦哀求，她还是拒绝跟他有任何瓜葛。
Neither pipeline was actively transporting gas at the time of the incidents. Gazprom has recently throttled back Nord Stream 1, citing technical issues. Critics have dismissed the action as political maneuvering by Russia as the fighting in Ukraine drags on.
事故发生时，这两条管道都没有在大量输送天然气。俄气公司最近以技术问题为由缩减了北溪一号的流量。批评人士认为，随着乌克兰战事的持续，此举是俄罗斯的政治手段。
throttle
throttle /ˈθrɒt.əl/ 1）表示“阻挡；压制；扼杀”，英文解释为“to prevent something from succeeding”举个🌰：
The reduction in funds is throttling the development of new programmes.
经费的削减将阻碍新计划的开展。
2）表示“掐（喉咙）；使窒息”，英文解释为“to press someone's throat very tightly so that they cannot breathe”举个🌰：
informal Sometimes he annoys me so much that I could throttle him.
有时他真让我讨厌，我恨不得掐死他。
📍throttle (sth) back/down 表示“（调节油门）减速，节流”，英文解释为“to reduce speed, or to reduce the power and speed being produced by an engine”举个🌰：
The pilot throttled back (the engines) as he came in to land.
着陆时，飞行员调节油门减速。
The damage points to explosive devices.
破坏原因指向爆炸装置。
The pipelines are built of steel coated with concrete so that they can withstand underwater pressures. In other words, it takes a lot of force to damage them.
管道由涂有混凝土的钢铁建造，因此可以承受水下压力。换句话说，破坏它们需要很大的力量。
coat
📍此处film也是熟词僻义，表示“薄薄的一层；薄膜”（a thin layer of sth, usually on the surface of sth else），如：a film of dust 一层灰尘。
concrete
They think she killed her husband, but they have no concrete evidence.
“A gas leak of this nature is extremely rare,” Mr. Böttzauw said. “It is unlikely that three gas leaks would occur in one accident within 24 hours.”
“这种性质的气体泄漏极其罕见，”博特绍夫说。“不太可能在24小时内的一次性发生三处气体泄漏。”
Swedish seismologists on Monday detected two separate underwater explosions near where the leaks were later identified. Both lines of Nord Stream 1 were damaged, whereas only one of Nord Stream 2’s lines was ruptured, which means that, at least theoretically, gas could flow through the second line.
瑞典地震学家周一在后来发现泄漏的地方附近检测到两次互无关联的水下爆炸。北溪一号的两条管道都受到了破坏，北溪二号只有一条管道破裂，这意味着，至少在理论上，天然气可以通过第二条管道流动。
seismologist
seismologist /saɪzˈmɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ 表示“地震学家”，英文解释为“someone who studies the sudden, violent movements of the earth connected with earthquakes”
Hans Liwang, a professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, said examining the size of the crater on the seabed and the damage to the pipes could provide answers about the size of the explosive charge and the locations of the blasts.
瑞典皇家理工学院教授汉斯·立旺表示，通过检查海底坑的大小和管道的损坏程度，可以发现炸药大小和爆炸地点。
crater
表示“火山口；（火山口似的）坑”，英文解释为“the round hole at the top of a volcano, or a hole in the ground similar to this”如：craters on the moon’s surface 月球表面的坑。
seabed
表示“海底；海床”，英文解释为“the solid surface of the earth that lies under the ocean”举个🌰：
The ship has been lying on the seabed for more than 50 years.
这艘船已经在海底沉睡了50多年。
“We will probably be able to figure out where this explosive device was placed by looking at the traces on the bottom,” he told Sweden’s Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.
他对《瑞典日报》表示：“通过观察底部的痕迹，我们或许能够确定爆炸装置放在哪里。”
But he added that leaking gas might have blown away important evidence, especially if, as some have speculated, the sabotage was carried out using underwater drones or divers.
但他还说，泄漏的气体可能会吹走重要证据，特别是如果像一些人猜测的那样，破坏活动是使用无人潜航器或潜水员进行的。
speculate
Danish authorities said on Wednesday that a criminal investigation was underway to determine the cause of the rupture. Once that is complete, it is unclear how long it will take to repair the damage.
丹麦当局周三表示，正在进行刑事调查，以确定破裂原因。目前尚不清楚调查结束后，修复损失需要多长时间。
An official at a pipe-laying company in Europe said work could proceed only after safe conditions had been established, including by removing any gas or seawater from the pipeline.
欧洲一家管道铺设公司的一名官员表示，只有在建立安全的环境（包括从管道中清除任何气体或海水）之后，工作才能继续进行。
proceed
Western sanctions placed on Russia may also complicate the cleanup and repair efforts because contractors may not want to do the work. In addition, Gazprom is no longer honoring business commitments and contracts, so it is not clear who would pay the costs.
西方对俄罗斯的制裁也可能使清理和修复工作复杂化，因为承包商可能不想做这项工作。此外，俄气公司不再履行商业承诺和合同，所以目前还不清楚将由谁支付费用。
sanction
contractor
表示“承包人；承包商；承包方；订约人”，英文解释为“a person or company that arranges to supply materials or workers for building or for moving goods”
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