Transgaz signs Tuzla-Podișor gas pipeline deal
On Friday (16 June), Ion Sterian, Director General of Romanian state-owned national gas transmission operator, Transgaz signed the commencement order for the Tuzla-Podișor gas pipeline, in the presence of Romania’s Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacșu and Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja.
Transgaz has entered into a contract with Turkish KALYON INSAAT SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI for the pipeline’s construction phase.
The Tuzla-Podisor gas pipeline will involve the construction of a 308.3 kilometres transmission pipeline that will connect the gas extracted from the Neptune Deep block to the BRUA corridor, enabling the transportation of natural gas via existing interconnections.
The BRUA pipeline is a gas pipeline in construction that will connect Podișor in Giurgiu County to Recaș in Timiș County (Romania). It forms part of the future gas interconnector project between Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria.
“We are witnessing a historic moment: the signing of this works commencement order and the completion of preparations for the exploitation of gas from the offshore Black Sea blocks,” said Mr Sterian. “Transgaz will carry out the project under the same conditions of proven performance and efficiency, in accordance with the implementation schedule, because it is important that the gas infrastructure is completed by the time the exploitation of natural gas from the Neptune Deep offshore block in the Black Sea begins. Romania’s energy security is our top priority. We have worked extremely well with the Romanian Government and will continue to do so.”
“Being a project of strategic importance for the economic and social development of the country, the Romanian Government and the other public institutions and authorities support this project through all the steps taken and will continue to support all other investments aimed at the strategic and sustainable development of the national natural gas transmission infrastructure, increasing Romania’s role in the regional, European and international energy sector,” the Director General added.
The project is valued at around 500 million euros. Mr Sterian underlined that is a strategic endeavour, key for energy security, national economic growth, and sustainable development.
“The Tuzla-Podișor gas transmission pipeline is also needed in order to transport the 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas that will be transported to Romania and the Caspian Sea area from LNG terminals in Türkiye and Greece,” he pointed out. “The operationalisation of the pipeline is important in the context of an expected increase in demand for natural gas consumption in the coming years, given the decarbonisation policies, for example, the transition from coal to gas power plants, and also considering the completion of investments in the industrial and energy sectors and investment in the development and expansion of the NTS to enable the connection of all localities to the gas infrastructure. Transgaz prepared for this project in advance and signed the construction contract with the winner of the tender.”
The signing ceremony was also attended by Alexandru Maximescu, Vice President of OMV, representing OMV-Petrom, as well as Răzvan Popescu, Chief Executive Officer of Romgaz, and other industry figures.