Nord Stream 2 has been filled with “technical gas” while still awaiting clearance from Germany’s regulator.

The newly constructed 764-mile pipeline can supply natural gas directly to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

The pipeline’s Swiss operator Nord Stream 2 AG has filled the first of the project’s two lines with 177 million cubic metres of gas to maintain pressure in the pipeline for future exports.

Supplies are now sufficient to start gas transportation in the near future, with gas reaching the optimal 103 bar.

It is expected that the pipeline will be certified from the Federal Network Agency,  but the approval process could still take months.

Nord Stream 2 has been funded by Kremlin-owned energy giant Gazprom.

Russia believes the new pipeline could provide relief to the European gas market, as it will double Moscow’s annual export capacity in the Baltic to 110 cubic metres

The project has been at the centre of political controversy in recent weeks.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has denied that the the country has been withholding gas supplies to put pressure on Europe and raise energy price in order to force through approval of the pipeline.

He dismissed the accusations as ‘blather’.

This followed criticism from the Inrternational Energy Agency that it was not doing enough to increase supplies to Europe.

Russia’s ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin warned Europe they needed to be patient as the country increased its gas flows to the continent.

He said that “gas travels at not the speed of light.”