In the ten years since he entered the oil field, Constantabusinessman Gabriel Comanescu, 42, has managed to set up thebiggest domestic group with drilling operations, Upetrom, withturnover close to 300m euros in 2008, and with clients such asGazprom in its portfolio.
Comanescu is one of the most discreet Romanian businesspeople,having had just one press conference with the national media sofar.
The group he set up is based on two main companies, GrupServicii Petroliere, centred on marine drilling, and Upetrom 1 MaiPloiesti, producing equipment for the oil and gas industry.However, the group includes other firms, as well, specialising inother fields.
Comanescu has graduated from "Mircea cel Batran" Naval Instituteof Constanta and the most important firms he has developed stayedat the seaside.
The businessman became interested in the oil field in 1999 bytaking over Foserco and Aquafor companies. In 2001, he wins thetender for the 1 Mai Ploiesti plant, which later on became one ofComanescu's major businesses, with 87m-euro turnover in 2008.
But the businessman's businesses boomed after he entered thefield of marine drilling by taking over six oil rigs from Petrol.For this, the businessman took out a 125m-euro loan from BCR, oneof the biggest loans received by a Romanian entrepreneur.
Thus, through multiple acquisitions and modernisationinvestments, Comanescu has now come to own a structure with over5,000 employees, including oil firms, as well as Vega five-starhotel in Mamaia.
Comanescu has meanwhile operated some changes in the assetportfolio. In late 2006, one of the six marine drilling rigs becamethe target of an Iranian attack, with this being the only occasionon which the businessman held a press conference to explain theincident.
With the development of Grup Servicii Petroliere, contractsbecame ever bigger. Thus, in 2008, GSP sealed a 100m-dollarcontract with Turkey's National Oil and Gas Company (TPAO) for theconstruction of an offshore rig.
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
