The Greifswald Receiving Terminal is the main interface between the Nord Stream offshore pipeline and the two connecting pipelines, OPAL and NEL (Nordeuropäische Erdgasleitung – North-European Gas Pipeline), which transport natural gas from Russia on to European transport customers.

The terminal consists of two sections: the "offshore section" for the incoming Nord Stream offshore pipeline and an "onshore section" for OPAL and NEL, the two downstream gas pipelines. The onshore section is sub-divided into a "180 bar" and a "105 bar" area. The "180 bar" area has filters, pre-heaters and control valves. To prevent gas hydrates or ice from forming, the gas undergoes additional pre-heating after cleaning and prior to being fed into the downstream pipelines.

Mainly measuring and control systems have been set up in the "105 bar" section – separate measuring sections use ultrasonic meters and density measurement to determine the current gas throughput for OPAL and NEL, before the gas leaves the terminal via the downstream pipelines.