The DNV GL spokesman said: "Under these new guidelines, we find DNV GL's verification activities linked to vessels with equipment serving the Nord Stream 2 project to be sanctionable."

"The macroeconomic situation has had a negative impact on the long-term development prospects of the LNG industry," Gazprom said, adding that so far in 2020 only one final investment decision had been made for a new LNG production project.

In the shale gas sector, the most affected player has been the United States, which accounts for about 95 per cent of global shale gas production. According to analysts, the growth rates of U.S. shale gas production may show a considerable decrease in the coming years.

Wintershall Dea is one of five European energy companies -- along with France's Engie, Austria 's OMV, Anglo-Dutch Shell and Germany's Uniper -- that have co-financed the project, each committing to invest Eur950 million.

On November 12, the surplus in daily volumes hit a record high of 25 per cent.

Particular attention was paid to the role and significance of natural gas as a green energy source in the context of Europe's decarbonization policy goals.

UOKiK on Oct. 7 imposed a fine of more than Zloty 29 billion ($7.62 billion, Eur6.48 billion) on Russian gas giant Gazprom for building Nord Stream 2 without its approval, as well as a fine totaling Zloty 234 million on five European companies that helped finance the project.

The almost complete Nord Stream 2 was meant to come online at the end of 2019, but the threat of US sanctions against companies working on laying the pipeline saw main contractor Allseas halt work in December last year.

A little over 150 km of Nord Stream 2 remains to be laid in Danish and German waters, but with the political debate becoming ever more frenzied, it remains unclear how and when the pipeline will be completed.

UOKiK said its own investigation had shown that Gazprom, France's Engie, Austria's OMV, Shell, and Germany's Uniper and Wintershall Dea had concluded a number of agreements regarding financing for Nord Stream 2 without having first obtained its approval to establish a joint venture for the project.