OMV Petrom, the operator of Romania’s Neptun Deep offshore gas project, has announced the arrival of the Transocean Barents semi-submersible offshore drilling rig in the port of Constanta. This marks a crucial milestone in the development of Romania’s first deep offshore gas project, a strategic collaboration between OMV Petrom and Romgaz.
OMV Petrom CEO Christina Verchere emphasized that the rig’s arrival is an essential step in the project’s development, which is vital for Romania’s energy independence and economic growth. The focus remains on the safe and efficient execution of the project, with first gas production expected by 2027.
The Transocean Barents rig completed an 18-day journey from Cartagena, Spain, following extensive structural modifications and upgrades. These improvements, which took eight months and 750,000 man-hours to complete, were necessary to enable the tilting operation of the 220-ton derrick.
The Neptun Deep project, a joint venture between OMV Petrom and Romgaz, is set to involve investments of up to 4 billion euros during its development phase. It is expected to produce around 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Following OMV Petrom’s investment decision in June 2023, the company signed agreements with major international firms. The Transocean Barents is contracted for at least 18 months, with Halliburton Romania providing integrated drilling services.
The project’s key infrastructure for the Domino and Pelican South gas fields includes 10 wells, three subsea production systems with flowlines, an offshore platform, a main pipeline to Tuzla, and a gas measurement station. The platform is designed to be energy self-sufficient and will adhere to the highest safety and environmental standards.
With the rig’s arrival in Romania, final preparations are underway, including rigging up the derrick and installing the necessary drilling equipment. This will allow work to begin on the production wells for the Neptun Deep project, which is set to play a pivotal role in Romania’s energy future.
