The fourth 76 Rosetti natural gas well, part of the Caragele project, which is estimated to be brought into production at the beginning of the second quarter of 2026, has reached a record depth of 5,256 metres drilled, with the entire deposit set to ensure approximately 4% of total national production for the winter of 2026-2027.

The Caragele deposit is located in the counties of Buzau and Braila, within the perimeter where the National Natural Gas Company Romgaz (SNGN) SA carries out petroleum operations.

According to the Ministry of Economy, specialists are carrying out the fifth extension of the exploration phase until 9 October 2027, and during 2026 two wells are expected to be commissioned.

'In terms of the depth of the targets where hydrocarbon accumulations have been identified, the Caragele structure shows two structural levels: a shallow level down to 3,500 m. Targets within this interval have been gradually brought into operation over time, starting in 2009, when the commercial exploitation of the Caragele deposit began; a deep level, over 4,000 m (‘Caragele Deep'), where hydrocarbon accumulations were discovered in 2015-2016 through two exploration wells. The commercial exploitation of these accumulations began in 2019 through well 77 Rosetti and well 55 Damianca, which was connected to the production infrastructure at the end of 2024 via a temporary installation. A third well was brought into production in 2025 (78 ST Rosetti). The fourth well, 76 Rosetti, is estimated to be brought into production at the beginning of the second quarter of 2026. The fifth well, 54 Damianca, is undergoing production testing. The sixth well, 56 Damianca, will begin drilling in the second quarter of 2026,' the Communication, Public Relations and Protocol Service - External Relations Directorate within the Ministry of Economy told AGERPRES.

The works carried out within the Caragele project, one of the largest onshore natural gas deposits in the country, are not without difficulties. Nevertheless, well 76 Rosetti has exceeded a depth record, and Romgaz aims to carry out new drilling operations and deep wells.

'It is worth mentioning that, in the deep zone, exploration and exploitation works face a series of technical difficulties (deep drilling carried out under difficult execution conditions, complex hydrocarbon deposits with characteristics that vary with depth, requiring different extraction systems), which require a different approach compared to conventional deposits. It is to be noted that well 76 Rosetti reached a record drilled depth of 5,256 m (ROMGAZ reference). In order to evaluate the accumulations already discovered and identify new ones, SNGN ROMGAZ SA plans to drill 10 deep wells, unconditionally, and at least another three wells depending on their results. For the winter of 2026-2027, the share of natural gas production from the Caragele deposit is estimated at 4% of total national production,' the ministry points out.

The authorities also say that the production infrastructure in the Caragele area consists of production wells, injection wells and technological groups, while alongside the drilling plan there is also a project to expand and modernise the production infrastructure with two new technological groups capable of processing the volumes of hydrocarbons to be extracted from future wells, the design of a new natural gas transport and treatment capacity of 1 million cubic metres per day and the installation of a low-temperature liquid hydrocarbon separation unit at the drying station in Galbenu, with commissioning estimated for the second quarter of 2027.

At the same time, investments of 250 million lei are estimated for 2026.

The Caragele deposit extends across several localities and is one of the most productive in the portfolio of SNGN Romgaz SA, a company listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange with a diversified shareholder base. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Florin Zafiu; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)