Totea gas field

Totea
CountryRomania
RegionGorj County
Offshore/onshoreonshore
OperatorPetrom
Field history
Discovery2011
Start of development2011
Start of production2012
Production
Current production of gas480×10^3 m3/d
16.9×10^6 cu ft/d 0.17×10^9 m3/a (6.0×10^9 cu ft/a)
Estimated gas in place10×10^9 m3
360×10^9 cu ft

The Totea gas field is a natural gas field located in Licurici, Gorj County, Romania. When discovered in 2011, it was the largest gas deposit found in the country since 2005,[1] with initial total proven reserves of around 360 billion ft3 (10 km3). Petrom developed the field, beginning production of natural gas and condensates in 2012 at a rate of 16.9 million ft3/day (0.48×105 m3).[2][3]

Pipe string drilling record

In 2013, a world record in pipe string drilling was set at the Totea gas field. The record was certified by Odfjell Well Services for the Totea 4545 borehole, which was drilled with the 20 inches (51 centimetres) core to a depth of 505 m (1,657 ft) in the Totea Deep field in Oltenia. This was the first phase of drilling well 4545, whose estimated total depth is 3,500 m (11,500 ft).[4][5][6][7]

Decline

Over several years, the Totea field was one of the most productive in Petrom's portfolio. But as with any oil and gas field, Totea went into decline after reaching its production plateau in 2017.[8] Things changed in 2018, when a new well was dug, with a depth of 4,300 m (14,100 ft); investments in the new well and related infrastructure amounted to about €50 million. The well was successfully tested in April 2019, with an output of up to 0.5×106 m3/d (1.8×107 cu ft/d). Natural gas from Totea is transported through 25 km (16 mi) of pipelines to the Hurezani hub to be treated and then delivered to the Romanian transmission system.[9][10]

2023 earthquakes

In 2023, Gorj County was rocked by earthquakes for six consecutive days, representing the most intense seismic activity in the last 200 years in the region (see List of earthquakes in Romania). Some experts were amazed by the events, considering that the region was previously known as an earthquake-free area. A theory began to circulate among the locals that these earthquakes were caused by the deep well drilling (coupled perhaps with fracking) at the Totea gas field.[8] These rumors have not been substantiated, with USR MP Radu-Dinel Miruță denying the use of fracking in the Totea–Hurezani region,[11] and others declaring those rumors to be fake news.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Petrom ar putea descoperi în Gorj cel mai mare zăcământ de gaze naturale din România". Mediafax (in Romanian). November 11, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Petrom face o descoperire de gaze potential semnificativa in Sud-Vestul Romaniei". www.smartfinancial.ro. 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  3. ^ "Petrom a pus în producție cea mai mare sondă onshore de gaze și condensat din România". www.omvpetrom.com (in Romanian). Petrom. November 2, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Chirileasa, Andrei (July 4, 2013). "Petrom a stabilit un record mondial la foraje" [Petrom has set a world record for drilling]. Ziarul Financiar (in Romanian). Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  5. ^ "OMV Petrom a stabilit un record mondial în domeniul forajului cu coloana de tubaj" [OMV Petrom has set a world record in pipe string drilling]. www.economica.net (in Romanian). July 5, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  6. ^ "OMV Petrom sets casing drilling world record at Romania's Totea field". ActMedia. July 11, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  7. ^ "OMV Petrom Set World Record in Casing Drilling". www.vindobona.org. Vienna International News. July 5, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Teorie în cazul cutremurelor din Gorj: Seismele ar putea fi provocate de o exploatare de gaz la mare adâncime a OMV din județ!". Ziua (in Romanian). February 19, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "Nou zăcământ de gaze descoperit pe teritoriul României". Digi24 (in Romanian). October 9, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "O nouă descoperire de gaze în regiunea Olteniei, în apropierea zăcământului Totea, aflat în producție". www.omvpetrom.com (in Romanian). Petrom. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Deputat: În Turcia tot din cauza forajelor de la Hurezani a fost cutremurul de mică adâncime?" [MP: Was the shallow earthquake in Turkey also because of the Hurezani drilling?]. www.radioinfinit.ro (in Romanian). February 26, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Goiceanu, Iuliu (February 22, 2023). "Analiză în urma cutremurelor de la Gorj. "Sunt numai fake-news-uri!"" [Analysis following the Gorj earthquakes. "It's only fake news!"]. Gorj Online (in Romanian). Retrieved January 28, 2024.