There will be more than 8 billion cubic meters per year, which will lead to a 60% surge in Romania’s natural gas production. Consumption, however, is stagnating.
“According to forecasts up to 2030 with the outlook for 2050, onshore natural gas production is expected to decrease, with the maintenance of a reduced dependence on imports thus being conditional on the exploitation of natural gas reserves discovered in the Black Sea. The first natural gas from the Neptun Deep project, gas exploited by OMV Petrom and Romgaz in the Black Sea, will be extracted and transported through the Tuzla-Podisor pipeline from autumn 2027. The estimated annual gas volumes are about 8,16 bcm/y (87,6 TWh/y) entering the national natural gas transmission network from the Neptun Deep field,” Transgaz’s Development Plan for the National Gas Transmission System 2024-2033, updated September 2025, reads.
This is the first time a production date for the Neptun Deep is shown in an official document.
As of 2027, domestic production will cover consumption and, in the absence of firm steps to boost it, Romania will become a natural gas exporter. Transgaz data show that from about 8 billion cubic meters in 2026, Romania’s natural gas production will go up to 12.5 billion cubic meters in 2027, after adding Neptun Deep. Domestic consumption currently stands at some 9 billion cubic meters.
Over the next 3-4 years, natural gas consumption in Romania is expected to increase through the construction of new power generation facilities: Iernut (430 MW), Mintia (1,700 MW), Isalnita and Turceni (1,325 MW), as well as through the development of the industry and connections to the national transmission system, as a result of government programs such as Anghel Saligny, the Transgaz report says.
Neptun Deep is a project of OMV Petrom and Romgaz, both of which own equal shares in it. OMV Petrom is also its operator. Investments stand at EUR4 billion.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)