Gabriel Valentin

Comanescu

CEO GRUP SERVICII PETROLIERE

Interview for Gazprom Magazine

The DzhubgaLazarevskoyeSochi (DLS) pipeline project is included in the Program

approved by the Government of the Russian Federation for construction of olimpic
facilities and the development of the Mountain climatic resort Sochi. The Russian
company Gazprom is the beneficiary of the gas transportation pipeline, out of which.
With a total length of 177 km out of which an offshore section of 159,5 km, the DLS gas
pipeline is installed on the seabed, along the shoreline (at a distance of approximately
4.5 km) having as final point the gas distribution facility in Kudapesta, in the vicinity of
Sochi. As this project is one of strategical importance for the economical development
of the Sochi region, Gabriel Comanescu, President of Upetrom Group, was invited to
answer a series of questions addressed by the Gazprom corporate magazine editor.
This interview was published in the December issue in the partners section. We
present the interview here:
MR. Gabriel Comanescu, the President of Upetrom Group,
answered the questions asked by our journal.

Mr. Comanescu, Upetrom Group was established in 1991. What

are the companies that currently make up your corporation? What
is their activity profile?

Upetrom Group is made up of two major companies: Grup Servicii Petroliere

(GSP) and Upetrom - 1 Mai. GSP is specialized in areas such as offshore
construction, offshore drilling, offshore transport, hydro-technical
engineering, well intervention services, subsea engineering inspection
(using remotely operated vehicles ROVs and SAT diving equipment), as
well as design and training
The company GSP was established in 2004. What are the projects
carried out for the past six years that you would mention as most
noteworthy?

Five years ago, GSP had only 200 employees and operated six offshore
drilling rigs. Today it employs more than 1.5 thousand people, owns and
operates five offshore jack-up rigs, one modular drilling rig, ten multi-task
vessels, three barges (pipe-laying crane barge, heavy lift submersible
barge, as well as accommodation and working barges), two offshore cranes
(one of which has a power of 1.8 tons). It also uses ROVs and SAT diving
devices. Most of these rigs, by their parameters, are unique in the Black
Sea.
GSP`s strategy envisaged from the beginnings providing
integrated services for offshore oil and gas industry with a
focus on activities of interest to the most dynamic global
markets.
The early stage limits of the activities on the
regional market in offshore oil and gas industry are
risk factors. Our activities are not restricted to one
market: we rely not only on the regional demand.
This kind of strategy would lead to business
suffocation in the region! GSP is now a global
service provider operating worldwide from the Gulf
of Mexico to Sakhalin; development decisions are
based on the three main areas ", said Gabriel
Comanescu, GSP President, for Curierul GSP.