Romania will publish a tender for the first 22 onshore hydrocarbon concessions within the 11th round of tenders for oil perimeters in Romania by the end of the month, according to Romanian media.
There was a slight possibility that the 11th round of tenders could not be launched due to discrepancies between oil law, offshore hydrocarbon law and the law of safety of offshore operations. However, following multiple discussions between the Mineral Resources Agency (ANRM) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulatory Authority (ACROPO), it was decided to split the round so 22 onshore perimeters will be offered first, while six remaining offshore perimeters will be offered at a later date.
The start of proceedings for offshore concessions will be postponed, most likely for three to four months, during which time law provisions will be amended (especially the law on offshore safety) which will eliminate overlapping responsibilities of the two institutions, ANRM and ACROPO, and will create better prospects for the oil companies.
Last June, ANRM said that, ten year after the last round of public tenders, it will launch the 11th round for awarding concessions for 28 exploration areas. Out of these 28 perimeters, 22 are located on land, while six of them are offshore, with approximate area of 1,000 square kilometers each. The previous concession round was conducted in the 2009-2010 period, when ANRM auctioned the concession of 30 hydrocarbon perimeters, of which 12 offshore and 18 offshore.
