DNA prosecutors have recently asked for documents from state-owned Romgaz regarding the 2022 deal with US company ExxonMobil for the Neptun Black Sea field, official sources told G4Media.

Romgaz bought for about $1 billion the shares issued by ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited – representing 100% of the share capital of ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, a company that holds 50% of the acquired rights and obligations under the Concession Agreement for oil exploration, development and exploitation in the XIX Neptun Deepwater Area perimeter – while, according to information on the OMV portal corroborated with press information, ExxonMobil has invested around $750 million in exploration activities.

The contract by which Romgaz acquires the stake held by the US company ExxonMobil in the Neptun perimeter in the Black Sea was signed in early May 2022. The transaction worth around €1 billion had been approved by Romgaz shareholders as early as 10 December 2021.

Previously, ExxonMobil and OMV Petrom were equal partners in the Neptun Deep deepwater project, where explorations revealed deposits estimated at 42-84 billion cubic metres.

Romgaz became OMV Petrom’s partner after completion of the acquisition.

G4Media.ro has sent requests for comments to ExxonMobil, the Ministry of Energy and Romgaz regarding the value of the transaction since the closing of the deal. In responses received from the three entities in January 2022, they indicated that they could not specify the commercial data:

ExxonMobil response:

„ExxonMobil has reached alignment with S.N.G.N. Romgaz S.A. on the terms and conditions to transfer the entire share capital of ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited and transfer operatorship to OMV Petrom S.A..

As a matter of practice, we do not comment on the details of commercial agreements.”

Ministry of Energy response:

„With reference to your questions, we inform you that all commercial information on the mentioned transaction is available at the National Natural Gas Company Romgaz SA.

The Ministry of Energy, in its capacity as Public Trustee Authority, in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 of GEO 109/2011 on the corporate governance of public enterprises, as subsequently amended and supplemented, the Ministry of Energy cannot intervene in the management and administration of the public enterprise.”

Romgaz response:

„Information of public interest in the context of the procedure for the conclusion of the transaction for the acquisition by S.N.G.N. Romgaz S.A. of all the shares issued by (representing 100% of the share capital of) ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, which holds 50% of the acquired rights and obligations assumed under the Concession Agreement for oil exploration, development and exploitation in the XIX Neptun Deep Water Area perimeter, is published on the company’s website and has been communicated to the Capital Market, for the current information of shareholders and investors.

Any disclosure of additional information to that officially published would be a breach of the Confidentiality Agreement entered into between the parties involved in the closing of the above-mentioned transaction.

We will continue to keep the market and investors informed as new information becomes available and will be published on the company’s website in the Investors/News and Events section.

Thank you for your understanding!”

We will report back on this issue as new information becomes available