First Decommissioning of an Offshore Platform in Romania
OMV Petrom completed the removal of Gloria Jack-up Rig from its production location in the Black Sea. The Gloria platform was successfully transported to Agigea harbour in Constanta. This is the first removal of an offshore production platform in Romania.
The platform was used in oil and gas production operations in the Sinoe field, in the shallow waters of the Black Sea.
“This marks the end of a 40-year history as drilling and production platform in the Romanian Black Sea and the first decommissioning operation in Romania. The Gloria platform has made its full contribution to ensuring Romania’s energy supply. We will continue to operate the other six offshore production platforms, which provide over 16% of the Group’s production,” said Peter Zeilinger, member of OMV Petrom Executive Board responsible for Upstream.
The production from the Sinoe field is currently suspended and the wells remaining on the wellhead platform are preserved in safe conditions.
The Gloria offshore platform has reached the end of its economic lifetime after more than 40 years in service. OMV Petrom contracted GSP Offshore, a Romanian company, for the removal services. The solution consisted in reinstating the platform jacking system, positioning the Gloria platform on a cargo barge (GSP Big Foot 2) and transporting it to the shore.
History of the Gloria platform
The Gloria platform was the first offshore drilling platform in Romania.
It was commissioned in 1976 and was built based on a license from Offshore Co., USA. In 1980, the Gloria platform completed drilling at Lebada 8 – which became the first commercial offshore hydrocarbon discovery in Romania.
Between 1976 and 1986, Gloria operated as a drilling rig, drilling 17 wells with a total cumulated length of approximately 50,000 meters.
Between 1987-1998, Gloria was used as a production platform for the first developed Romanian offshore field – Lebada East.
Since 1998, the Gloria platform has been located in the Sinoe field, approximately 30 km from the shore, in a water depth of around 40 meters and was used as a production platform. Its cumulated production over the last 20 years is equivalent to over 20 million car refuels and the energy for heating 170,000 homes.
