NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence conducts Central European Pipeline System Study in Germany

The Subject Matter Experts from NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence continue their study of NATO Central European Pipeline System (CEPS) and inspect European pipeline companies which are a part of CEPS. Centre’s experts have already visited Belgian and Dutch Pipeline Organisations before and are currently investigating the German pipeline system.

The delegation includes Vytautas Paul BUTRIMAS and Col. Dr. Reiner ZIMMERMANN from Centre’s Research and Lessons Learned Division (RLLD). During the trip, they visited the city of Idar-Oberstein where the CEPS operator for Germany - Fernleitungs-Betriebs­gesellschaft (FBG) is based.

Subject Matter Experts met with Mr. Horst SAAL, the director of FBG and together visited dispatch control Centre. Since the study is focused on Cybersecurity risks, they also met with the IT and OT engineers of FBG. Throughout, they discussed possible Cybersecurity issues of industrial control system and ways to strengthen the security of strategic objects and control stations of pipeline systems.

Observations and outcomes will be concluded with a summary report that will present recommendations for making the pipeline operations and the protection of critical energy infrastructure safer and more reliable in the current cyber threat environment.

The NATO Central Europe Pipeline System programme manages the operation, financing and maintenance of an integrated, cross-border fuel pipeline and storage system in support of NATO's operational military requirements during peacetime, crisis and conflicts, including expeditionary operations.