OMV Petrom and ROMGAZ install Neptun Alpha offshore platform in the Black Sea
- Neptun Alpha platform installed in ~120 m water, weighs 16,500 t and is over 225 m high.
- Installation used the Saipem 7000 semi-submersible crane vessel and eight seabed piles (>2 m diameter).
- Six of the 10 development wells and the 160 km onshore pipeline to shore are already completed.
- Project remains on schedule for start of production in 2027, with subsea pipelines, umbilicals and testing next.
Installation milestone
OMV Petrom and S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ have completed installation of the Neptun Alpha offshore production platform for the Neptun Deep project in the Black Sea, marking a major construction milestone toward first gas in 2027.
Platform specifications and installation
The platform sits in approximately 120 metres of water, weighs 16,500 tonnes and exceeds 225 metres in total height. Saipem fabricated the jacket and topsides in Arbatax (Italy) and Karimun (Indonesia) respectively, and the Saipem 7000 semi‑submersible crane vessel carried out the lift and placement. The jacket was anchored with eight driven piles, each more than two metres in diameter.
Current project status
To date six of the 10 development wells have been completed and the 160 km pipeline to shore has been installed; construction of the Tuzla gas measurement station and control building is advancing. The topsides are fully automated for remote operation and a support vessel (capacity up to 90 people) is being built for operation and maintenance.
Next steps
Work now focuses on drilling remaining production wells, installing and integrating subsea production systems, collector pipelines and umbilicals, connecting offshore facilities to the transport pipeline, and executing a comprehensive testing programme ahead of commissioning for 2027 start‑up.
Source: OMV Petrom