OMV Petrom, Romgaz Spud First Well at Neptun Deep in Black Sea (Video)
March 25, 2025
OMV Petrom and Romgaz have spud of the first well for development and production of the Pelican South and Domino natural gas fields in the Neptun Deep block as part of the drilling campaign being conducted with Transocean’s Transocean Barents rig in the Black Sea.
The first of the planned 10 production wells is now being drilled in the Black Sea, with Halliburton Energy Services Romania and Newpark Drilling Fluids Eastern Europe providing integrated drilling services.
Halliburton’s international and local experience in Romania will be deployed on a wide range of services such as cementing, directional drilling and well completions.
The drilling of the first well is estimated to take approximately 2-3 months, according to OMV Petrom and Romgaz.
The project is progressing according to plan, with first gas estimated for 2027. Neptun Deep will contribute approximately 8 billion cubic meters annually to Romania's gas production once plateau production is reached.
According to Cristian Hubati, member of the OMV Petrom Executive Board, responsible for Exploration and Production, the drilling operations for the 10 wells is estimated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The infrastructure required for the development of the two fields includes three subsea production systems, one for Pelican South and two for Domino, the associated gathering pipeline network, a shallow-water 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 at the highest standards of safety and environmental protection.
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 reservoir is used to transport the natural gas to shore, eliminating the need for compression.
This, along with other project features, ensures that emissions from the Neptun Deep project are kept to a minimum, significantly below industry benchmarks.
In addition to the drilling operations, work continues on various components of the Neptun Deep project: the production platform is under construction, systems for the subsea infrastructure are being manufactured, the support field vessel is being built, and the natural gas metering station is also under construction.
OMV Petrom and Romgaz are jointly investing up to $4.3 billion in total in the development of the Neptun Deep project.
"The start of drilling is an important milestone for the progress of Neptun Deep - a project of strategic importance for Romania. By developing this project, Romania can secure its natural gas needs from domestic sources and become an important player in the European market.
“In addition, the project contributes to the Romanian economy - it is estimated to bring revenues of around 20 billion euro to the state budget over the project's lifetime. We are making every effort to implement the Neptun Deep project safely and efficiently, to have the first gas deliveries in 2027," said Christina Verchere, CEO of OMV Petrom.
“The completion of the project and its first gas delivery in 2027 will strengthen the profile of the ROMGAZ group on the energy market in Romania and in the region, on both segments, natural gas and electricity production and supply. It will also support the long-term business activities of the ROMGAZ group, will strengthen its investment capacities and will provide sustainability to them, included in the energy transition strategy," added Răzvan Popescu, CEO of S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A.
