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SS2 December 2023

The Neptun Deep project and the redesign of the regional energy security

Mihai MELINTEI

Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania

Abstract:In the context of the changes in the architecture of the global security of energy resources supply and the volatile changes in the natural gas market, the offshore sector of the Black Sea experienced a redesign regarding energy security. In the last ten years, the use of natural gas has increased a lot, in this sense the development of the Neptun Deep project has become a necessary variable for the consolidation of the energy security of Romania and the South-Eastern Europe region. By exploiting the potential of hydrocarbons in the Black Sea, Romania can become a regional provider of energy security. Also, in the context of the military developments between Russia and Ukraine that have led to major effects on global energy security, causing regional redefinitions in the direction of natural gas supply chains, Romania, through the development of the offshore sector in the Black Sea, can contribute to the redesign of regional energy security. Considering the significant potential of natural gas reserves that could become commercial exploitations, large-scale investments will be carried out within this project in the coming years. For this reason, a closer examination and analysis is required not only of natural gas as a resource but also of the economic consolidation and the potential for industrial rise that these investments would bring to Romania as a whole.
Keywords:Energy security; Neptun Deep; offshore; natural gas; Black Sea
Contact details of the authors:  E-mail: mihai.melintei@ulbsibiu.ro
Institutional affiliation of the authors:Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Department of International Relations, Political Science and Security Studies  
Institutions address:Victoriei Boulevard Nr. 10, Sibiu, 550024, Romania