Romanian natural gas transmission system operator Transgaz wants to invest 300 million euros in partnership with its Ukrainian counterpart GTSO, which would contribute another 35 million euros in gas export capacity expansion, in order to reach export capacity of 6.9 million cubic meters of gas per day to Ukraine through the interconnection point from Mediesul Aurit by 2026.
Around the same time, late 2026 or early 2027, Romania plans to start gas production at offshore perimeter Neptun Deep in the Black Sea, in case the transaction between Romgaz and ExxonMobil is completed and the offshore law is amended in the first quarter of this year. Transgaz has already drafted the project and it is currently under public consultations until March.
Gas projects in the Black Sea could boost Romania’s natural gas production from 8.7 billion cubic meters in 2020 to between 14 and 15 billion cubic meters per year in 2027-2029. Thus, Thus, Romania could export 20 to 25 % of its domestic production.
Furthermore, Ukraine could use Romania as a transit country to import Azerbaijani gas from Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline if Greece and Bulgaria complete their gas interconnection.