“The Neptune Deep offshore natural gas project has started drilling in Romania's Black Sea exclusive economic zone about 160 km from the coast of Bulgaria.”

OMV Petrom and ROMGAZ announce the spud of the first well for development and production of the Pelican South and Domino natural gas fields in the Neptun Deep block, located 160 km offshore in the Black Sea. The project is progressing according to plan, with first gas estimated for 2027. The development concept of Neptun Deep includes ten production wells: four in the Pelican South field and six in the Domino field.

Drilling has started in March 2025 and is underway for the 10 planned wells - four on Pelican South and six on Domino. Neptun Deep is the largest natural gas project and the first deep offshore project in Romania. The block is located in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea, approximately 160 km away from shore.

In November 2024, Transocean Barents, the mobile offshore drilling unit, arrived in Romania. Drilling is expected to commence in 2025. The Black Sea Neptun Deep Block is located about 160 km off the coast, in water depths ranging between 100 and 1,000 meters. In June 2023, the titleholders announced the Final Investment Decision and approved the development plan for two commercial gas reservoirs Domino and Pelican Sud.

The maritime boundary agreement between Bulgaria, Romania and the EU sets out the delimitation of their Black Sea exclusive economic zones. It defines the coordinates of the dividing line between the Bulgarian and Romanian EEZs, confirming that offshore hydrocarbon projects such as Neptun Deep, located approximately 160 km off the Romanian coast in the Neptun block, fall on the Romanian side of the boundary, not within Bulgaria’s EEZ.

The distance between the production pipeline and EEZ limit varies between approximately 25 km near the shore and 46 km near the SWP location. This official letter concerns the project’s transboundary context and references the pipeline’s relation to the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone boundary.

In a current report to investors, OMV Petrom states: “In March 2024 we started development drilling in the Pelican South field, as part of the Neptun Deep project, located approximately 160 km offshore in the Black Sea, in Romania’s exclusive economic zone.” The company reiterates that “first gas is estimated for 2027” and that the project is “operated by OMV Petrom in partnership with Romgaz.”

“Neptun Deep is the largest natural gas project and the first deepwater offshore project in Romania… Perimeter Neptun Deep: - located in Romanian waters of the Black Sea, at approximately ~160 km from the shore… First molecule of natural gas: in 2027… Drilling started in March 2025 and is underway for the 10 planned wells – 4 on the Pelican Sud field and 6 on Domino. The production wells are drilled with the help of the Transocean Barents offshore mobile drilling unit.”

“The Neptun Deep perimeter in the Black Sea has an area of 7,500 km2 and is located at a distance of about 160 km from the shore, in waters with depths between 100 and 1,000 meters… Transocean Barents arrived in Constanța to prepare the drilling operations for OMV Petrom and Romgaz. Drilling is estimated to start in 2025… OMV Petrom and ROMGAZ announce the start of drilling for the development and exploitation of the Pelican Sud and Domino gas fields in the Neptun Deep perimeter, located 160 km offshore in the Black Sea… The project is progressing according to plan, with first production estimated for 2027.”

“Neptun Deep development progressing as planned, with first gas expected in 2027.” “OMV Petrom, together with Romgaz, continues the development of Neptun Deep, with estimated investments of up to EUR 4 bn. The project is on track and progressing well for first gas in 2027.” “Drilling is ongoing in the Pelican South field to complete the four producing wells, with the rig expected to move by year end to the Domino field to drill the remaining six wells in deep water.”

“OMV Petrom and Romgaz have started drilling the first production well in the Neptun Deep perimeter in the Black Sea… The first well will be drilled in 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. Drilling works for the ten wells will last until the fourth quarter of 2026, and the first gas deliveries are estimated to be made in 2027. Neptun Deep will contribute to Romania’s gas production with about 8 billion cubic meters annually.”

Global Energy Monitor’s project profile notes: “Neptun Deep Gas Project is an in development gas project in Romania… located offshore in the XIX Neptun block in Romania’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone, about 160 km from the shore.” In Table 1 it lists “Production start year: 2027 (expected)” and “Status: In development.” A project update section states that “development drilling is expected to start in 2024–2025 following the 2023 final investment decision.”

“‘My estimate is that in the first half of 2027 we will effectively begin extracting the first molecule of gas from the Black Sea,’ said the minister. According to him, the total annual extraction within Neptun Deep will be approximately eight billion cubic meters. On 25 March 2025, OMV Petrom and Romgaz announced the start of drilling for the development and exploitation of the Pelican Sud and Domino gas fields in the Neptun Deep perimeter, located 160 km offshore in the Black Sea.”

“The offshore gas project Neptun Deep, jointly owned by OMV Petrom and state-owned company Romgaz, will deliver its first gas in 2027, which will make Romania the largest gas producer in the EU. Romania will have advanced detection capabilities in the Black Sea by 2027 to protect its offshore gas project that will turn it into a net gas exporter, as well as other infrastructure, the economic adviser to President Nicușor Dan told Reuters.”

“OMV Petrom and ROMGAZ have commenced drilling the first well in the Neptun Deep project, which is claimed to be the largest natural gas project in the Romanian Black Sea and the first deep-water offshore project in Romania.” “Located 160km offshore in the Black Sea, the Pelican South and Domino fields of the Neptun Deep block are expected to significantly boost Romania’s gas production, with first gas due by 2027.”

Discussing Neptun Deep, the briefing states: “The deep-sea Neptun Deep project, where exploration has revealed deposits estimated at 42–84 billion cubic meters, was held in equal shares by ExxonMobil and OMV Petrom… The first natural gas production is expected at the end of 2026 or at the beginning of 2027.” At the time of writing, the report describes the project as awaiting a final investment decision and does not mention that development drilling had started yet.

In an answer regarding Black Sea offshore gas projects, the Commission notes that ‘Romania is developing offshore gas fields in its exclusive economic zone of the Black Sea, notably the Neptun Deep perimeter, operated by OMV Petrom and Romgaz.’ The document describes Neptun Deep as being located in Romania’s offshore area, without reference to Bulgarian jurisdiction, underlining that it lies within Romania’s exclusive economic zone as defined by international law.

“Neptun Deep is located in block XIX in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea, some 160 km from the country’s coastline.” “The offshore development remains entirely in Romania’s exclusive economic zone and is operated by OMV Petrom in partnership with Romgaz.” “Drilling of production wells is scheduled to begin in 2025, with first gas expected in 2027.”

Neptun Deep is a joint offshore gas exploitation project operated by OMV Petrom (50%) and Romgaz (50%). It is located approximately 160 km off the Romanian coast in the Black Sea. The article discusses environmental and socio-economic impact claims rather than drilling status.

Neptun Deep is Romania's major offshore Black Sea gas development led by OMV Petrom and Romgaz. Public company releases in March 2025 reported that drilling had begun, and the project area is in the Romanian Black Sea sector, not in Bulgarian territorial waters; however, parts of the infrastructure and exclusion zones are discussed in relation to the Bulgaria-Romania maritime boundary.

In the report, the narrator states: “After the derrick is put back in position and the drilling equipment is installed, the platform will depart in the coming period 160 kilometers offshore in the Black Sea, in the deepwater Neptun Deep perimeter, according to information from OMV Petrom, the project operator and equal partner alongside Romgaz. The first drillings will be carried out during this year, and in 2027 production will begin.”

The TV report explains that the offshore drilling platform for Neptun Deep will operate about 160 kilometers from the Romanian coast in the Black Sea, where ten wells are planned for the extraction of natural gas. Journalists note that the Transocean Barents unit is being prepared in the Port of Constanța and will then head to the Neptun Deep perimeter to begin drilling the production wells.

In the corporate video, OMV Petrom states that “Neptun Deep is the largest natural gas project in the Romanian Black Sea and the first deepwater offshore project in Romania.” The narration explains that the development is “in Romania’s offshore exclusive economic zone, around 160 kilometres from the coast,” and that the project “will start producing gas in 2027,” without specifying that drilling had already begun at the time of the video (November 2023).

The page states that the gas in the Neptun Deep concession lies 160 kilometers off the Romanian coast in depths ranging from 100 meters to 1000 meters. It is commentary on the project and does not provide primary confirmation of drilling commencement.