‘Black Sea Shore-Podisor’ Gas Pipeline Project Launched

The National Gas Transmission Company Transgaz and Turkey’s Kalyon Insaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi organised the launching ceremony of the pipeline for the ‘Black Sea Shore-Podisor’ project, a very important project in terms of ensuring the energy security of Romania and the region.

The pipeline will allow gas extracted from offshore Black Sea blocks to enter the National Gas Transmission System.

“When completed, this pipeline is important for Romania because it takes gas from the Black Sea, it is important for the other countries in Eastern and Central Europe because it takes part of the gas transported through the Vertical Corridor, starting with the Caspian Sea, with LNG terminals in Turkey and LNG terminals in Greece. In this way, Romania will become – and this is already being felt – an important gas hub for Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans,” said Ion Sterian, Transgaz’s General Manager, at the event, which took place in Dragalina, Calarasi County.

The works are carried out as main contractor by the Turkish company, the contract value being RON 1,398,651,158.6, excluding VAT.

For his part, Murathan Kalyoncu, President of Kalyon Inșaat said: “This project is of strategic importance to meet the EU’s gas needs. For this project we will employ 1,200 people and subcontract companies in Romania.”

Romanian companies are also working on this important project, as Transgaz’s General Manager pointed out, which is very important for the Romanian economy, given the very large investment. Thus, the Romanian company CIS Gaz is working as a subcontractor on this pipeline, with 131 km (40%) of the total 308 km route under construction. The project will also integrate 1,000 tons of pipe from Liberty Galati and the contract will be signed in the near future. Work is scheduled to start in June 2023 and be completed in June 2025.

The Black Sea – Podisor natural gas transmission pipeline is 308.4 km long and will be built in two sections as follows:

• Section I, Black Sea – Amzacea, 32.5 km long;
• Section II, Amzacea – Podișor, 275.9 km long.

The pipeline is located in the south-eastern part of Romania, and its route follows the general direction from South-East to West, crossing the counties of Constanta, Calarasi and Giurgiu over a number of 42 Administrative Territorial Units.

The following objectives will be reached by implementing the project:

• Diversifying sources of gas supply to consumers in Romania;
• Reducing the degree of dependence on Russian gas imports;
• Transport to the Central European markets of Black Sea gas;
• Development of a transmission capacity that will allow future interconnection with pipelines potentially supplied with liquefied natural gas from the Black Sea coast;
• Link to new sources of natural gas in the Trans-Balkan Corridor and the Vertical Corridor.

The integrated management of the project is ensured by the Project Implementation and Management Unit (PMU), an entity that has been established within Transgaz.

 

Main objectives in the implementation of the project

• 20 block valves (including power supply)
• 10 cathodic protection stations
• Obstacle crossings
• Road crossings – 50, of which the most important are: national roads – 12, county roads – 21
• Railway crossings – 6

 

Turkish companies involved in projects in Romania

The event was attended by representatives of Transgaz and the Turkish company, Marian Neacsu, Secretary General of the Government and Cevdet Yılmaz, Vice-President of the Republic of Turkey.

In his speech, the Vice President of Turkey said: “I am very pleased to participate in the launching ceremony of the pipeline for the ‘Black Sea-Podisor’ project. This project will secure Europe’s gas supply. It is a strategic project for Romania and the European Union. Kalyon Holding has signed several successful projects, making it a global icon in the world. Kalyon will hire over 1,200 people for the project in Romania.” He stressed that Romania is one of the countries with which Turkey has very good relations.

“Turkish investments in Romania amount to USD 11 billion. There are 211 projects of Turkish businessmen in Romania. We want these figures to grow. In terms of trade, it amounted to around USD 10 billion and in the first three months of the year it was already USD 3 billion. We hope to end 2024 with USD 12 billion in trade,” said Vice-President Cevdet Yılmaz.

 

Romanian companies must move beyond the country’s borders

The involvement of Romanian companies in large-scale projects, both in the country and abroad, must become a priority, said Ion Sterian. From this perspective, the African continent is very important, and the General Manager of Transgaz gave Nigeria as an example, where he has already had contacts with officials for the national gas transmission operator to participate in various projects.

“There are a lot of opportunities in Africa. I would like Romanian and Turkish companies to go together to work in Africa, for example in Nigeria, where there is an extraordinary potential. Kalyon can be a partner in the projects of Romanian companies abroad,” Ion Sterian added.