(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 07 MAG - Future investments of over 22 billion US dollar and projects in the hydrocarbon sector in the Black Sea may generate up to 26 billion USD for the Romanian State budget by 2040, according to a Deloitte study, produced for the Romanian Association of Black Sea Offshore Concessionaires (ARCOMN).

The study, local media reported, has forecasted a USD 40 billion increase in the Romanian GDP until 2040, also due to the impact of the investments in the Black Sea. The financial news portal Business Review noted that Deloitte estimated, in a prudent scenario, a total production of up to 170 billion cubic meters of natural gas in offshore fields in Romania, of which 35% could be exported.

"The resulting estimates show that each 1 billion USD invested in offshore oil and gas upstream activities in Romania generates 3.0 billion USD in the Romanian GDP over the upcoming 23 years of production," the report forecasted, as quoted by portal Business Review.

Commenting the study, Deloitte Senior Expert Razvan Nicolescu, said that after natural gas extraction will start, the total 170 billion cubic meter could lead Romania to "no longer need Russian gas" in the future, the news agency Agerpres reported. (ANSA).