The controversial Nord Stream 2 Russian-German pipeline has been completed. The last pipe section was welded into place on September 6. The operating company remains vague on the timing for the commencement of gas flow but said it would start before the end of the year. The required pre-commissioning procedures will need to be carried out to put the pipeline into operation. The $11 billion projects is expected to double the capacity of the existing Nord Stream pipeline across the Baltic Sea and allow Russia to bypass Ukraine when piping gas to Europe.