100 years of Romanian natural gas industry

National company Romgaz celebrated on Thursday 100 years since the first natural gas discovery in Romania in Sarmasel (Mures County).

On the occasion, Romgaz announced its plans for the future, plans that include geological prospecting and the discovery of new natural gas reserves.

Romgaz intends to takeover the Iernut power plant in return for waving Termoelectrica's RON 160 M debt, seeking to develop there an electric power plant with a capacity of 600 MW.

The Minister of the Economy Adriean Videanu stated that he will ask ANRM to offer Romgaz the right to exploit the Black Sea oil and natural gas perimeters that are yet to be granted.

Videanu said that he will visit Moscow from May 20 to May 22, where he will meet with the Gazprom representatives in order to tackle the issue of Romanian-Russian relations from the natural gas perspective.

The Szeged - Arad natural gas pipeline will be completed this year not in 2010 as initially planned, Ioan Rusu, the general director of Transgaz, stated.

Both interconnections are financed from European funds and the bids have to be filed on May 15 in Brussels.

The Ministry of the Economy has started Romania's official campaign for hosting the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

100 years have passed since the first natural gas discovery in Romania was made in Sarmasel (Mures County), a place not far from Medias where the bulk of the Romanian natural gas industry is centered today. It was an event that left its mark on the region's and the country's social and economic development.

A century later Romgaz announces its plans for the future, plans that include geological prospecting and the discovery of new natural gas reserves. Romgaz also intends to takeover the Iernut power plant in return for waving Termoelectrica's RON 160 M debt, seeking to develop there an electric power plant with a capacity of 600 MW. The announcement was made by Marcel Piteiu, the general director of Romgaz, on the occasion of the Romanian natural gas industry's centenary.

'We are negotiating the takeover of the Iernut power plant in return for waving Termoelectrica's RON 160 M debt. We will build a 600 MW electric power plant' Marcel Piteiu stated. And things won't stop there. 'We will continue our prospecting in Slovenia and Poland. We want to enter foreign markets. Likewise, we plan to develop storage sites. We will also use the pressure losses in order to produce electric energy' Piteiu said.

In his turn, Minister of the Economy Adriean Videanu, who also attended the anniversary of the Romanian natural gas industry's centenary, stated that he will ask ANRM to offer Romgaz the right to exploit the Black Sea oil and natural gas perimeters that are yet to be granted. Videanu added that he will visit Moscow from May 20 to May 22, where he will meet with the Gazprom representatives in order to tackle the issue of Romanian-Russian relations from the natural gas perspective. 'I will take part in a meeting with Gazprom's representatives. The delegation will also include the Romgaz and Transgaz representatives. More details about the talks with the Russian side will be communicated after the meeting' Adriean Videanu stated.

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