OMV Petrom, in partnership with S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ, has completed installation of the offshore production platform for the Neptun Deep gas project in the Black Sea.
The development, described as Romania’s largest natural gas project, is scheduled to begin production in 2027.
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The newly installed Neptun Alpha production platform is located in approximately 120m of water. The structure weighs more than 16,500t and stands more than 225m tall.
Saipem manufactured the platform’s jacket at the company’s shipyard in Arbatax, Italy, and fabricated the topsides at its Karimun yard in Indonesia.
The installation was carried out using the Saipem 7000, the world’s third-largest semi-submersible crane vessel.
The platform is intended to process natural gas and transfer it to the transport system that brings it to shore.
The broader Neptun Deep project includes ten production wells at the Pelican South and Domino fields, three subsea production systems, associated collector pipelines, the offshore platform, a subsea gas pipeline to Tuzla and a gas measurement station.
Installation of a 160km pipeline has already been completed, with further construction ongoing at the Tuzla gas measurement station and a control building.
OMV Petrom CEO Christina Verchere said: “Neptun Deep is a strategic project for Romania that will contribute to the country’s energy security and reduce dependence on imports. The installation of the production platform in the Black Sea represents one of the most important stages of the project and confirms its steady progress.
“In addition, six of the ten development wells and the installation of the 160km pipeline connecting to the shore have been completed.
“Project development continues with the installation of inter-field subsea pipelines and umblilicals to connect all the offshore elements, to be followed by rigorous testing to prepare for the start of production on plan for 2027.”
The next phase will see connection of the infrastructure components, continued drilling of the production wells, integrating subsea systems, linking offshore assets to the transport pipeline and running a comprehensive testing programme.
The Neptun Deep Block covers approximately 7,500km² around 160km off Romania’s coast, in water depths ranging from 100m to 1,000m.
Exploration began in 2008, with the first gas discovery made in 2012 at the Domino-1 well.
In June 2023, the Neptun Deep titleholders reached a final investment decision and approved development plans for the Domino and Pelican Sud reservoirs, with the plans confirmed by the relevant regulatory authority.
In July 2025, OMV Petrom discovered a new natural gas reservoir in Spineni, marking a notable development in south-eastern Europe’s energy sector.
