Offshore staff
BUCHAREST, Romania — OMV Petrom has approval from Romania’s National Agency Mineral Resource for its development plan for two gas fields in the Neptun Deep block in the Black Sea.
The project is now cleared to enter the development phase, including execution of drilling activities for the Domino and Pelican South field and construction of the related offshore and onshore infrastructure.
OMV Petrom and partner Romgaz will invest up to EUR4 billion ($4.38 billion) in the development phase to produce ~100 Bcm of natural gas, with first production targeted for 2027.
The plan calls for construction and installation of 10 wells, six in deepwater (about 1,000 m) and four in shallow water (100 m, three subsea production systems and associated flowlines; an offshore platform in 100 m water depth; a 160-km, 30-inch gas export pipeline and associated fiber optic cable across the Black Sea to Tuzla; and a natural gas metering station at same location).
The platform will generate its own energy, and the facility, wells and fields will all be operated remotely via a digital twin. This should lead to process optimization, OMV Petrom said, also making energy consumption more efficient and helping to minimize emissions.
Under a EUR1.6-billion ($1.75-billion) EPCIC contract, Saipem will provide management, engineering, procurement, fabrication, assembly, maritime transportation, installation, testing and commissioning for the offshore facilities.
Its work scope extends to testing and commissioning of the gas metering station and of the near shore and onshore sections of the gas production pipeline, which other contractors will construct.
Saipem’s local team at its Technology Center near Ploiesti will test the materials to be used for the offshore facilities. The center employs 200 researchers and specialists, 95% of which are Romanians. The company’s yards in Sardinia and Indonesia will fabricate the gas processing platform, and the Saipem 7000 and JSD 6000 vessels will manage offshore installations.
08.04.2023
