High level representatives of three oil and gas companies, Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Petrom are all scheduled to meet Romanian president Traian Basescu on Thursday, March 13.

Derek Magness, general manager of Chevron Europe Exploration and Production is due to meet Basescu at the presidential Cotroceni palace at 11, while Johnny L. Hall, executive vice-president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company, and Mariana Gheorghe, general manager of Romania's oil and gas company Petrom are scheduled for a meeting at 13,00.

The presidential administration did not announce the discussion topics of the two meetings. Both foreign companies have agreements and joint projects with local Petrom, owned by Austria's OMV.

Last year, Exxon Mobil, Petrom, Shell and the Ukrainian state company Nadra agreed to establish a partnership in exploiting a gas perimeter in the Black Sea. Romanian news website Hotnews.ro suggests a link between the current talks with president Basescu and that agreement, on the background of the tensions in Ukraine and Crimea region.

editor@romania-insider.com