The decision was made through an emergency ordinance amending the law on the authorization of construction works.
Under the new normative act, companies performing underwater drilling and prospecting operations are no longer required to obtain a construction permit, but they are the only ones exempt from this piece of bureaucracy. Companies drilling and prospecting on dry land or underground will still need a construction permit.
According to an official document obtained by MEDIAFAX, one of the reasons behind this decision is the government’s intention to avoid forcing “additional waiting times” on works planned by OMV Petrom and Exxon Mobil on the Neptun block in the Black Sea.
Petrom and Exxon agreed in 2008 to join in the deep sea exploration of hydrocarbon potential on the Neptun block. In July, the Romanian government extended by five years the exploration permit for the Neptun block.
In addition, the Romanian mineral resources agency ANRM last year granted five new licenses for exploration in the Black Sea, while other six blocks may be auctioned off in 2012.