German energy company Uniper announced Monday it was launching the sale of its 20% stake in the regulated OPAL gas pipeline, a move mandated by the European Commission's state aid approval decision from December 20, 2022.

The transaction involves 100% of the shares in Lubmin-Brandov Assets GmbH & Co. KG (LBA KG), the entity that holds Uniper's fractional ownership in the critical European pipeline, with GASCADE Gastransport GmbH holding the remaining 80% stake.

Stretching approximately 470 kilometres from Lubmin in Germany to Brandov in the Czech Republic, the OPAL pipeline is a significant transmission corridor playing a critical role in Germany's evolving energy landscape. 

The northern segment of OPAL has already completed its conversion to support the national Hydrogen Core Network framework in mid-December 2025. The southern segment is slated for conversion by the end of 2030, aligning with the country's broader decarbonization efforts.

Meanwhile, Uniper has initiated an open, fair, and transparent bidding process to divest the asset, with the prospective bidders required to submit their formal Expression of Interest via email by 11:59 p.m. CET on January 29, 2026.

The submission must be in German or English and include the interested party's name, address, and contact details, as well as the contact information for responsible personnel and any mandated financial advisers. 

Uniper also cautioned that expressions of interest received after the deadline or deemed incomplete may be disregarded.

Following the initial submission phase, Uniper will provide qualified parties with a teaser and a process letter detailing the next steps for the pre-qualification phase of the sale process.