First deep-sea offshore drilling platform was acquired by the Romanian company Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP)

By Jerom Bolt
Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP), owned by businessman Gabriel Comănescu, acquired this week the first deep-sea offshore drilling platform that enters the portfolio of a Romanian company.
According to the news portal “Dobrogea Live”, the Development Driller II platform was bought for 10 million dollars from the largest marine drilling company in the world, Transocean.
Currently, the platform built 19 years ago is not operational and is stationed in the Port of Constanța – Agigea in warm stock regime with minimum safety crew.
According to the information, in order to become operational, the platform with a size of 115 m / 78 m requires investments that exceed the value of the acquisition.
The platform could drill in the “Neptune Deep” perimeter
“In order to bring the platform to optimal classification, drilling and safety parameters, investments of two or three times the value of the acquisition will be required. Most likely, this platform will drill into the “Neptune Deep” perimeter. In fact, the platform drilled 4-5 years ago in the deep water area where Lukoil has a concession “, said sources close to the transaction.
The former Minister of Economy declared two months ago that the Romanian state wants to take over, through Romgaz, the 50% participation in the “Neptun Deep” gas field (7,500 km2), currently owned by ExxonMobil.
In 2010, the Development Driller II platform participated in the greening operation of the largest offshore oil spill in the history of the oil industry, when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to “Dobrogea Live” sources, the Development Driller platform, capable of drilling up to 11,000 meters deep, was purchased by GSP by bank loan.
GSP representatives declined to comment on the above information at this time.