OMV Petrom and Romgaz started drilling the first natural gas production well in Neptun Deep

OMV Petrom and Romgaz have started drilling for the development and exploitation of the Pelican Sud and Domino natural gas fields in the Neptun Deep perimeter, located 160 km offshore the Black Sea.

According to a press release submitted on Tuesday, AGERPRES, the project is progressing according to plan, with the first production estimated for 2027. Neptun Deep will contribute to Romania’s gas production with about 8 billion cubic meters annually, once the production plateau is reached.

‘The start of drilling is an important milestone for the progress of the Neptun Deep project – a project of strategic importance for Romania. By developing this project, Romania can ensure its natural gas needs from domestic sources and will become an important player on the European market. In addition, the project has a positive contribution to the Romanian economy – it is estimated that it will bring revenues of about 20 billion euros to the state budget, over the life of the project. We are making every effort to implement the Neptun Deep project safely and efficiently, so that we have the first gas deliveries in 2027,’ said OMV Petrom’s CEO, Christina Verchere, quoted in the press release.

Cristian Hubati, member of the OMV Petrom Management Board, responsible for Exploration and Production, stated that the first well will be drilled on the Pelican Sud field, located in waters with a depth of about 120 meters, the gas reservoir being located about 2,000 meters below the seabed.

‘We are excited to move on to the next stage of the Neptun Deep project, namely the drilling of the ten wells that will ensure the production of natural gas, of which four on the Pelican Sud field and six on the Domino field. The first well will be drilled on the Pelican Sud field located in waters with a depth of about 120 meters, the gas reservoir being located about 2,000 meters below the seabed. We estimate that the drilling works for the ten wells will last until the fourth quarter of 2026,’ said Cristian Hubati.

In turn, Romgaz’s CEO, Răzvan Popescu, emphasized that the start of drilling works represents the achievement of an essential objective in the development of the project, Neptun Deep being of strategic importance for the company.

‘The completion of this investment project and its launch into commercial production starting in 2027 will strengthen the profile of the Romgaz group on the energy market in Romania and the region, both in terms of natural gas production, but also in the electricity supply and production segments. It will also register the Romgaz group’s business activities in the long term, strengthen its investment capacities and provide sustainability to the measures included in the energy transition strategy,’ said Răzvan Popescu.

Romgaz Deputy General Manager, Aristotel Jude, conveyed the company’s determination to successfully complete this stage, in complete safety in the conduct of offshore operations, through the joint efforts of the project teams and contractors involved in the project.

According to the press release, the anchorage structures for Pelican were successfully installed using an advanced offshore drilling technology, CAN-ductor from Neodrill, which minimizes the total environmental footprint of the drilling process. The drilling of the first well is estimated to take approximately 2-3 months.

The drilling will be carried out with the Transocean Barents mobile drilling unit, contracted specifically for the project. Halliburton Energy Services Romania and Newpark Drilling Fluids Eastern Europe will provide integrated drilling services. Halliburton’s international and local experience in Romania will be used in a wide range of services such as cementing, directional drilling and well completions. The infrastructure required for the development of the two fields includes three subsea production systems, one for Pelican Sud and two for Domino, the associated pipeline network, a shallow offshore natural gas platform, the main natural gas pipeline to the shore at Tuzla and a natural gas metering station. The offshore platform generates its own electricity, operating to the highest safety and environmental standards. The wells and fields will be operated remotely, through a digital twin. ‘A key aspect of the development concept is that the natural energy of the field is used to transport the natural gas to shore, eliminating the need for its compression. This, together with other features of the project, ensures that emissions from the Neptun Deep project are kept to a minimum, significantly below industry standards,’ the press release states. In parallel with the drilling operations, work continues on the various components of the Neptun Deep project: the production platform is under construction, the systems related to the underwater infrastructure are being manufactured, work is underway on the construction of the support vessel for production operations, as well as the construction of the natural gas metering station. OMV Petrom and Romgaz are investing up to 4 billion euros together for the development of the Neptun Deep project.

The drilling will be carried out with the Transocean Barents mobile drilling unit, contracted specifically for the project. Halliburton Energy Services Romania and Newpark Drilling Fluids Eastern Europe will provide integrated drilling services. Halliburton’s international and local experience in Romania will be used in a wide range of services such as cementing, directional drilling and well completions.

The infrastructure required for the development of the two fields includes three subsea production systems, one for Pelican Sud and two for Domino, the associated pipeline network, a shallow offshore natural gas platform, the main natural gas pipeline to the shore at Tuzla and a natural gas metering station. The offshore platform generates its own electricity, operating to the highest safety and environmental standards. The wells and fields will be operated remotely, through a digital twin.

‘A key aspect of the development concept is that the natural energy of the field is used to transport the natural gas to shore, eliminating the need for its compression. This, together with other features of the project, ensures that emissions from the Neptun Deep project are kept to a minimum, significantly below industry standards,’ the press release states.

In parallel with the drilling operations, work continues on the various components of the Neptun Deep project: the production platform is under construction, the systems related to the underwater infrastructure are being manufactured, work is underway on the construction of the support vessel for production operations, as well as the construction of the natural gas metering station.

OMV Petrom and Romgaz are investing up to 4 billion euros together for the development of the Neptun Deep project.