Romania imported some 698,000 tonnes of gas equivalent petrol (tep) in the first five months of this year, down 41.2 percent over the same period in 2012, according to the country’s Statistics Institute (INS).

In January-May 2013, local natural gas production stood at some 3.6 million tep, close to the level recorded in the same period of 2012.

The country’s proven natural gas reserves were of 100 billion cubic meters at the end of 2012, the same as in 2011.

In early-May this year, after recently visiting the platforms in the Black Sea, Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta said Romania could become energy independent in about seven years, following the exploitation of oil and gas resources in the Black Sea.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sxc.hu)