Romania’s Black Sea energy strategy is expanding beyond the development of a single resource, as the offshore region becomes a strategic hub for multiple energy and economic activities. The area is expected to support the Neptun Deep natural gas project, a potential 11.5 GW offshore wind sector, existing oil and gas concessions, defence operations, maritime transport, fisheries and environmental protection initiatives. While this creates significant opportunities for long-term energy investment, it also increases the need for coordinated marine spatial planning to ensure that competing activities can develop without creating costly conflicts during later project stages.
Romania’s draft offshore wind strategy identifies six development zones covering approximately 4,000 square kilometres of the Black Sea. The first phase includes three fixed-bottom offshore wind areas with a combined potential capacity of 3.1 GW, broadly matching the country’s target of reaching around 3 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035. These areas are located in water depths of 55 to 75 metres, with average wind speeds at 150 metres estimated at 7.7-7.9 metres per second, offering favourable conditions for commercial-scale wind generation. A second phase with around 2.4 GW of potential capacity remains delayed due to military restrictions, while a longer-term development stage after 2035 could unlock approximately 6 GW using fixed-bottom, deep-water or floating offshore wind technologies.
However, the planned offshore wind expansion highlights the complexity of managing multiple uses of the same maritime space. Several proposed wind zones overlap with existing hydrocarbon concessions, including the Istria, Midia, Luceafarul and Neptun blocks, while the largest offshore wind area intersects with five exploration licences. Developers must also account for a wide range of additional constraints, including migratory bird routes, marine ecosystems, fishing areas, shipping corridors, underwater cultural heritage sites and defence requirements. These factors will ultimately determine how much of Romania’s theoretical offshore wind potential can be transformed into commercially viable projects.
At the same time, Romania is progressing with one of its most important energy security investments through the Neptun Deep offshore gas development. OMV Petrom and Romgaz have installed the Neptun Alpha production platform, representing a major milestone for the project. OMV Petrom has continued significant capital investment despite reporting a 14% decline in first-half net profit to approximately EUR 355 million, while total capital expenditure reached around EUR 375 million. Once operational, Neptun Deep is expected to become a major domestic gas source, helping compensate for declining conventional production and improving supply security for Romania and regional markets.
Although offshore gas and offshore wind serve different roles in Romania’s energy transition, both sectors will compete for important industrial resources and infrastructure. Ports, manufacturing facilities, specialised vessels, offshore engineering capabilities and skilled workers will face increasing demand from both industries. In addition, offshore wind projects require dedicated electricity export routes and grid infrastructure, while gas pipelines and safety zones may influence the available space for future developments. As a result, strategic project sequencing and infrastructure coordination will be as important as the allocation of offshore development areas themselves.
Romania’s energy security remains closely connected to broader developments in the Black Sea region. More than half of the crude oil processed by Romanian refineries is supplied from Kazakhstan through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) route via Novorossiysk, while domestic production covers less than 30% of refinery demand. Recent disruptions affecting tanker activity in the Black Sea forced temporary reductions in Kazakh production until exports resumed, demonstrating how regional security risks can influence both Romania’s current fuel supply chains and future offshore energy investments.
The investment potential of Romania’s offshore wind sector will depend on more than favourable wind conditions. Developers will require a stable regulatory framework and supporting infrastructure, including transparent concession procedures, reliable seabed data, defined grid connection points, sufficient port capacity, environmental assessments, defence coordination and a support mechanism capable of reducing risks for early projects. While Neptun Deep could strengthen Romania’s gas security in the medium term, offshore wind represents a long-term low-carbon resource that can contribute to decarbonisation and regional electricity security.
If developed through an integrated planning approach, offshore gas and offshore wind can support different stages of Romania’s energy transition. However, without coordinated development, both sectors risk competing for the same maritime areas, industrial capacity, infrastructure and investment resources. The success of Romania’s Black Sea energy strategy will therefore depend not only on the scale of individual projects, but on the country’s ability to manage a complex offshore ecosystem where multiple strategic interests must coexist.
