Gas leaking from damaged pipeline could be biggest burst of potent greenhouse gas on record

Methane leaking from the damaged Nord Stream pipelines may be the biggest biggest burst of the potent greenhouse gas on record.

The alleged 'sabotage' that took place on the Nord Stream gas pipeline caused a 3,000ft-wide bubble plume and sent gas prices higher once again.

Their calculations indicate that the Danish government estimation equates to roughly half a million metric tons of methane.

The Aliso Canyon disaster released 90-100,000 metric tons into the atmosphere.

However, Baxter's estimate was still more than double the Aliso Canyon disaster.

Danish officials claim that the amount of gas released is already the equivalent of one third of Denmark’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.

The Danish PM believes the action was 'deliberate', adding that the gas pipeline would be out of action for a week.

Mette Frederiksen said: "It is now the clear assessment by authorities that these are deliberate actions. It was not an accident. There is no information yet to indicate who may be behind this action."

Sweden's prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, also believes Russia is in the wrong: "We have Swedish intelligence, but we have also received information in our contacts with Denmark, and based on this concluded that this is probably a deliberate act. It is probably a matter of sabotage," she said.

"It is not a matter of an attack on Swedish or Danish territory.

"But that said, the government is taking what happened very seriously, not the least in light of the current security situation in our close proximity."

The Kremlin has hit back on claims by large parts of Europe, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov describing the accusations of sabotage 'predictable, stupid and absurd'.