Romania's competition council said on Tuesday it has fined four local drilling companies a combined 13 million lei ($3.3 million/2.9 million euro) for agreeing beforehand on bids to be placed in tenders organised by state-controlled natural gas producer Romgaz.
The four companies, Dafora, Foraj Sonde Craiova, Foraj Sonde Targu Mures and Upetrom 1 Mai, agreed to share the drilling operations for which Romgaz organised several tenders in 2008 and 2009, the competition council said in a statement posted on its website.
The companies, which held a combined market share of more than 70% at the time, agreed on the offers they would file in the tenders, determining beforehand who would win a specific contract.
A fifth company involved in the scheme, Foserco, part of US group Weatherford, was exempted from sanctions after it cooperated with the competition council and supplied probes during the investigation.
Dafora received the largest fine, of 4 million lei. Foraj Sonde Craiova, Foraj Sonde Targu Mures and Upetrom 1 Mai will have to pay 3.9 million lei, 3.7 million lei and 1.4 million lei, respectively.