Milestone for Europe’s Energy Infrastructure

The construction of the Black Sea-Podisor gas pipeline, which will take natural gas from the Neptun Deep Block in the Black Sea, has reached a milestone that marks a landmark achievement in Europe: the execution of the Borcea and Danube arms undercrossing. After the drilling was completed, the installation of the 1,000 mm pipeline under the Danube started in February, a historic moment, according to Transgaz, the operator of the national gas transmission system.

The Danube undercrossing by Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), one of the most technically demanding and complex undercrossings in Europe, has reached its final stage.

This crossing sets a new landmark in the execution of horizontal directional drilling due to the diameter, geological complexity and size of the equipment mobilized, according to Transgaz.

“In terms of both length and complexity, this is the most important river undercrossing in the history of Europe,” Transgaz CEO Ion Sterian said.

Also, the undercrossing of the Borcea Arm by horizontal directional drilling, part of the Black Sea-Podisor gas pipeline project, was successfully completed, overcoming complex silt and gravel conditions. Spanning 1,300 meters and with a maximum depth of 35 meters, this crossing was executed in difficult geological conditions, requiring engineering adaptations and dedicated solutions to ensure success. Despite difficult conditions, the Borcea crossing was completed on schedule, consolidating its role as a key infrastructure component in the region.

“With the completion of the Borcea undercrossing and the Danube undercrossing underway today (February 10), these HDD projects demonstrate exceptional engineering expertise and execution to the highest current standards, while reinforcing the strategic importance and critical role of these undercrossings in Europe’s energy infrastructure,” Transgaz representatives said.

 

Importance of the Tuzla-Podisor pipeline

The natural gas transmission pipeline Tuzla-Podisor is part of the gas pipeline that will take over the natural gas extracted from the Black Sea, will connect with new sources of natural gas from the Trans-Balkan Corridor and the Vertical Corridor, of which the BRUA pipeline is part.

The Danube river undercrossing is one of the most technically demanding and complex undercrossings in Europe. With a length of 1,815 meters and a maximum depth of 63 meters, this was a complex work due to the horizontal directional drilling, the geological complexity, but also the size of the equipment used. The value of the project is EUR 500 million.

The builders of the Tuzla–Podisor gas pipeline reached an extremely important milestone, namely the launch of the pipeline under the Borcea arm of the Danube. According to the CEO of Transgaz, this is the most important undercrossing work, by length and complexity, under an accumulation of water, a river, in the history of Europe.

The successful execution of the Borcea and Danube HDD crossings marks a significant achievement in horizontal directional drilling technology. The combination of challenging ground conditions, custom-designed solutions and large-scale equipment mobilization make these projects unique and landmark in Europe, according to Transgaz.

 

Highlights

• Borcea crossing: The massive gravel deposits were successfully managed by hydrofracturing analysis, customized drilling fluids and a counter-curve design for optimal drawdown.
• Danube crossing: Extreme limestone conditions, including unforeseen dolomitization, tackled with specialized hole openers, Stonecatcher technology and twin-platform operation.
• Simultaneous operation of two 400-ton HDD rigs – a rare solution in Europe at this scale.

The Black Sea-Podisor gas pipeline will enable the diversification of natural gas supply sources for Romanian consumers by providing access to Black Sea gas volumes.

The National Gas Transmission Company Transgaz in June 2023 signed the contract for the execution of works for the Tuzla-Podişor gas pipeline with the company Kalyon Insaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, from Turkey. The “Black Sea-Podisor natural gas transmission pipeline” project is included in the list of projects of common interest of the European Union and has obtained EUR 85 million in funding through the Modernization Fund.

The pipeline is located in the south-east of the country and crosses three counties: Constanta, Calarasi and Giurgiu, respectively 42 territorial administrative units. The gas pipeline that will take the Black Sea gas from Tuzla to Podisor is scheduled for completion on June 15, 2025.

With the commissioning of the Tuzla-Podisor gas transmission pipeline, almost half a million household consumers and public institutions will be supplied with natural gas, said Mircea Man, ANRE vice-president, who attended the event marking the completion of the works on the pipeline that undercrosses the Danube in the area of Borcea arm.

 

Energy Minister: “Chances are that in January 2007 or perhaps sooner we will benefit from gas from Neptun Deep”

Chances are that in January 2027 or perhaps sooner Romania will benefit from gas from Neptun Deep and our country will be able to export, since production will increase by 75-100%, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said recently. He accused environmental activists of trying to block the project and warned that “there will be more and more attacks on this project, because it can be a game-changer at regional and European level.”

“I mainly referred to the public data related to the serial lawsuits that NGOs are launching against the Neptun Deep project. I am convinced that the project upsets those who have gas and would like to sell it to us, it upsets those who have gas and sell it to other states where Romania will be able to export, because we estimate an increase in production by 75 to 100% – and an increase in domestic consumption by 25% (…) We will export and it is very good that we will get money from this and we will replace the dependence of other states on the Russian Federation with a dependence on Romania in the future (…) The project is on schedule. Chances are that in January 2007 or maybe even a little earlier we will benefit from gas from Neptun Deep,” Sebastian Burduja said during a briefing held at the Victoria Palace.

 

Environment Minister: “The Neptun Deep project has completed all the necessary procedures for the issuance of the environmental permit”

According to the Minister of Environment, Water and Forests, Mircea Fechet, “the Neptun Deep project has gone through all the procedures for the issuance of the environmental permit. This means that the proper environmental assessment has been carried out and the environmental impact of the field itself has been assessed, and all these documents are public.” These documents have been analyzed by the Constanta Environmental Protection Agency when it was decided to issue the environmental permit for the Neptun Deep project, Mircea Fechet said at the ZF Power Summit 2025.

Production from the Neptun Deep Block is estimated at about 8 billion cubic meters per year for about 10 years.