Romania’s oldest platform decommissioned

Nov. 22, 2019
GSP Offshore has removed and transported the Gloria platform from the shallow-water Sinoe field in the Black Sea to Agigea harbor in Constanţa, Romania.

Offshore staff

BUCHAREST, Romania – GSP Offshore has removed and transported the Gloria platform from the shallow-water Sinoe field in the Black Sea to Agigea harbor in Constanţa, Romania.

According to operator OMV Petrom, this is the first removal of an offshore production platform in Romania.

GSP reinstated the platform jacking system, positioned the platform on the cargo barge GSP Big Foot 2, and transported it to shore.

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.

Between 1976 and 1986, it operated as a jackup rig, drilling 17 wells with a total combined length of about 50,000 m (164,041 ft). In 1980, it drilled the Lebada 8 well, Romania’s first commercial offshore hydrocarbon discovery.

From 1987-1998, it served as a production platform for Lebada East, Romania’s first developed offshore field.

Since 1998, Gloria was used as a production platform for the Sinoe field, 30 km (18.6 mi) from the shore in 40 m (131) water depth.

Production from Sinoe field is currently suspended and the wells remaining on the wellhead platform are preserved in safe conditions, OMV Petrom said.

Peter Zeilinger, member of OMV Petrom Executive Board responsible for Upstream, said: “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.”

11/22/2019