Between 14 – 17 October 2009 we hosted at Constanţa – the place where gas transit was always managed on Romanian customs area – the event celebrating 35 years from the beginning of international gas transit activity. The Russian Federation gas enters the Romanian territory through Isaccea Gas Metering Station and exists through Negru Vodă Metering Station towards Bulgaria and farther on towards other Balkan countries.
The event enjoyed a broad attendance by experts from gas industry specific companies, TRANSGAZ, ROMGAZ, gas distribution companies, as well as by representatives of all engineering companies that brought their share along the years to the performance of the transit systems and to their maintenance and upgrading.
The event had the honor to be attended by representatives of transit companies from Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Macedonia.
We take this opportunity to pay our respects and to express our gratitude for the attendance of some Romanian gas industry currently retired former executives. We equally appreciated and enjoyed the presence of the representatives of the Ministry of Economy as well as the presence of local authorities’ representatives.
The celebration was also highlighted by the issue of a postage stamp paying thus homage, through the selected symbols, to the achievement of gas transmission systems through the transit pipelines, and to system maintenance activity as well.
Gas TRANSIT from the Russian Federation in the Balkan Corridor is currently carried out through a complex system of transmission pipelines, filtering and metering equipment, with an overall capacity of 28 bcm/year.
The transmission system for the first pipeline, named „TRANSIT I – Bulgaria”, considered at the time as one of a kind, was designed by ICPTG Câmpina – Ploieşti Section. The mounting and execution works were performed by ICIM Braşov, now CONDMAG - Braşov, between trimester IV 1971 and trimester II 1974.
Commissioning was performed between July 23rd, 1974 – when the valve placed on the left shore of the Danube (the Ukrainian shore) was switched in on position and August 7th, 1974 – when the exit valve of Negru Vodă metering station (towards Bulgaria) was switched in on position.
The transmission system through the second pipeline, named “TRANSIT II – Turkey”, designed by ICPTG Câmpina – Gas Engineering Section Braşov, was a completely Romanian investment coordinated by the Ministry of Oil. The construction-mounting works were assigned to expert companies such as IMCM Brasov, TCIP Ploieşti, TMUCB Bucureşti that managed to deliver the objective between 1987-1989.
The third transit system, nameid “TRANSIT III – Turkey”, was performeid taking into acicount the decision of GAZPROM – Russia to expiand the transit capacitty on Romanian territory in order to increase Russian gas export towards Balkan countries. This extremely complex project was elaborated by the Research and Design Division of TRANSGAZ S.A.
The engineering works for this objective were assigned – by government decision – to a Consortium of 5 expert companies (AMARAD Arad, CONDMAG Braşov, INSPET Ploieşti, PETROCONST Constanţa, TMUCB Brăila - with PETROCONST as Consortium Leader). The main line was delivered between trimester IV 1999 until trimester II 2002, with stage commissioning.
Special works were performed such as: under pressure perforation works, where a new technology and specific rules had to be elaborated due to the fact that they were performed for the first time in Romania for such a diameter and for such a pressure, as well as under crossings, both the Danube – Black Sea Channel undercrossing and the Danube undercrossing between Ukraine and Romania, works that needed innovative solutions and led to successful results for all those involved.
We take this opportunity to send our regards to all the experts that made it possible for us to carry out these highly complex investment works. We would also like to express our appreciation for the technical cooperation activities and friendship relations born from the permanent presence at the transit stations of the representatives of GAZPROMEXPORT – Russia and of BULGARGAZ - Bulgaria, representatives that, along the years, carried out their activity in close relation with our Romanian experts.
We extend our friendship and express our hope for the same highly appreciated cooperation with our upstream and downstream partners:
- UKR TRANSGAZ – Ukraine
- ZAO GAZTRANZIT – Ukraine
- MOLDOVA GAZ – Moldavia Rep.
- BULGARGAZ – Bulgaria
- BOTAŞ – Turkey
- DEPA – Greece
- GA - MA – Macedonia
S.N.T.G.N. TRANSGAZ S.A. Mediaş continues to be open for long term and medium term cooperation and to pose investment and development potential on third party markets as well.
S.N.T.G.N. TRANSGAZ S.A. Mediaş continues to be a company that can ensure and guarantee the performance of the contracts assumed for the benefit of all signing parties.