Two F-16s Were Deployed Near the Gas Platform
Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets on August 20, 2026, after a marine drone was detected near the Neptun Deep gas project. The device was spotted a few hundred metres from the facility and contained explosives, Reuters reported.
A fighter jet struck the drone before a vessel arriving at the location completely destroyed its remains. Authorities reported no casualties or damage to the project’s infrastructure.
To protect the lives of several hundred people working on the platform and secure critical infrastructure, the decision was made to destroy the marine drone, Radu Miruță said
The Drone’s Origin Has Not Been Officially Established
The Romanian defence minister did not identify the country responsible for the device. He said Ukraine had confirmed that the drone did not belong to its forces.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for the incident and said Romania would remain vigilant alongside its NATO allies. The Russian government had not publicly commented at the time of publication.
The drone’s suspected Russian origin therefore remains an attribution by the Romanian authorities rather than an independently verified fact.
Earlier in August, Romanian military divers destroyed two Gerbera-type drones drifting in the country’s exclusive economic zone near the Neptun Deep development area.
First Gas Is Expected in 2027
Neptun Deep is Romania’s largest natural gas project and its first deepwater offshore development. According to the official Neptun Deep project information, the block is located approximately 160 kilometres offshore and contains an estimated 100 billion cubic metres of recoverable gas.
OMV Petrom and state-controlled Romgaz each hold a 50% interest in the project. Development investment is expected to reach up to €4 billion. First gas is scheduled for 2027, with annual production estimated at approximately 8 billion cubic metres once plateau output is reached.
The proximity of an explosive drone to the project highlights the growing security risks facing energy and maritime infrastructure in the Black Sea. Romania, Bulgaria and Türkiye are already expanding their joint work on mine clearance and the protection of critical regional assets.
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