Ukraine's ​Naftogaz, which discovered "substantial" offshore gas reserves in the Black Sea before Russia's invasion, ‌is in talks with Romania's OMV Petrom (BVB: SNP) to form a partnership relating to the field, according to Reuters, citing more sources familiar with the talks. Disucssions were at an early stage, and development of the field would not start before the war ends, they said.

The sources did not indicate the amount of recoverable gas at the discovery, but one called ​it "one of the most promising gas fields in the Black Sea region,” where Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey ​are already developing deposits of their own.

OMV Petrom itself is the operator of the largest perimeter in Romania’s Black Sea region (Neptun Deep), the operator of a perimeter in Bulgaria’s region (Han Asparh), and recently took a minor participation in another perimeter in Bulgaria’s region (Han Tervel).

Naftogaz and OMV Petrom did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported.

One of the sources said seismic surveys had been partially carried out at the fields, which are near offshore Romanian ​perimeters, and 3D and 2D data were available.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier this month, after meeting Romanian ‌president ⁠Nicusor Dan in Bucharest, that the two countries aimed to pursue resource extraction projects on the Black Sea shelf together. He did not elaborate further.

iulian@romania-insider.com

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