OMV, NewMed Energy select Noble drillship for Black Sea campaign

Romania’s OMV Petrom and Israel’s NewMed Energy have signed an $80-million rig contract with Noble Corp. covering the drilling of two exploration wells in Bulgaria's Black Sea waters.

In a recent statement, OMV Petrom said that the drillship Noble Globetrotter I will drill the exploration wells in the Han Asparuh block.

The drilling campaign is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year and last about four months.

Integrated drilling services will be provided by Halliburton, with well testing services to be handled by SLB.

Total drilling budget for the two probes is expected to be about €170 million ($199 million), according to the statement.

Han Asparuh is an exploration block located in the western Black Sea in Bulgaria, south of the Neptun Deep block in Romania and has an area of 13,712 km² with water depths slightly below 2,000 m (roughly 6,500 ft). 

Exploration activities started in 2012 and included geological and geophysical surveys and the drilling of three exploration wells. An extensive 3D seismic campaign was finalized in May 2020 to identify potential drilling targets.  

The two operating companies say that the drilling contract and related drilling campaign “marks a significant step forward in [their] strategic efforts to unlock new energy resources in the region.”