Totea gas field
{{short description|Natural gas field in Gorj County, Romania}}
{{Update|remaining reserves and ongoing production|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox oil field
| name = Totea
| country = Romania
| region = Gorj County
| location =
| block =
| offonshore = onshore
| coordinates =
| operator = Petrom
| operators =
| partners =
| contractors =
| image =
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| discovery = 2011
| start_development = 2011
| start_production = 2012
| abandonment =
| peak_year =
| peak_of_production_oil_bbl/d =
| peak_of_production_oil_tpy =
| peak_of_production_gas_mmcuft/d =
| peak_of_production_gas_mmscm/d =
| peak_of_production_gas_bcm/y =
| oil_production_bbl/d =
| oil_production_tpy =
| production_year_oil =
| production_gas_mmcuft/d = 16.9
| production_gas_mmscm/d = 0.48
| production_gas_bcm/y = 0.17
| production_year_gas =
| est_oil_bbl =
| est_oil_t =
| recover_oil_bbl =
| recover_oil_t =
| est_gas_bft = 360
| est_gas_bcm = 10
| recover_gas_bft =
| recover_gas_bcm =
| formations =
}}
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,{{cite news|url=https://www.mediafax.ro/economic/petrom-ar-putea-descoperi-in-gorj-cel-mai-mare-zacamant-de-gaze-naturale-din-romania-8930660|title=Petrom ar putea descoperi în Gorj cel mai mare zăcământ de gaze naturale din România|lang=ro|work=Mediafax|date=November 11, 2011|access-date=January 28, 2024}} 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).{{cite web|url=http://www.smartfinancial.ro/smartfinancial/corporate+-+imm/petrom+face+o+descoperire+de+gaze+potential+semnificativa+in+sud-vestul+romaniei|title=Petrom face o descoperire de gaze potential semnificativa in Sud-Vestul Romaniei|date=2011|website=www.smartfinancial.ro|access-date=2011-08-01}}{{cite web|url=https://www.omvpetrom.com/ro/news/petrom-a-pus-in-productie-cea-mai-mare-sonda-onshore-de-gaze-si-condensat-din-romania|title=Petrom a pus în producție cea mai mare sondă onshore de gaze și condensat din România|lang=ro|publisher=Petrom|website=www.omvpetrom.com|date=November 2, 2011|access-date=January 28, 2024}}
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 {{convert|20|in|cm|abbr=off}} core to a depth of {{cvt|505|m}} in the Totea Deep field in Oltenia. This was the first phase of drilling well 4545, whose estimated total depth is {{cvt|3500|m}}.{{cite news|url=https://www.zf.ro/companii/petrom-a-stabilit-un-record-mondial-la-foraje-11087353|title=Petrom a stabilit un record mondial la foraje|lang=ro|trans-title=Petrom has set a world record for drilling|first=Andrei|last=Chirileasa|newspaper=Ziarul Financiar|date=July 4, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.economica.net/omv-petrom-a-stabilit-un-record-mondial-in-domeniul-forajului-cu-coloana-de-tubaj_56673.html|title=OMV Petrom a stabilit un record mondial în domeniul forajului cu coloana de tubaj|lang=ro|trans-title=OMV Petrom has set a world record in pipe string drilling|website=www.economica.net|date=July 5, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://actmedia.eu/energy-and-environment/omv-petrom-sets-casing-drilling-world-record-at-romania-s-totea-field/47066|title=OMV Petrom sets casing drilling world record at Romania's Totea field|work=ActMedia|date=July 11, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.vindobona.org/article/omv-petrom-set-world-record-in-casing-drilling|title=OMV Petrom Set World Record in Casing Drilling|publisher=Vienna International News|website=www.vindobona.org|date=July 5, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2024}}
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. Things changed in 2018, when a new well was dug, with a depth of {{cvt|4300|m}}; 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 {{cvt|0.5e6|m3/d}}. Natural gas from Totea is transported through {{cvt|25|km}} of pipelines to the Hurezani hub to be treated and then delivered to the Romanian transmission system.{{cite news|url=https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/economie/energie/nou-zacamant-de-gaze-descoperit-pe-teritoriul-romaniei-1198108|title=Nou zăcământ de gaze descoperit pe teritoriul României|lang=ro|work=Digi24|date=October 9, 2019|access-date=January 28, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.omvpetrom.com/ro/news/o-nou-descoperire-de-gaze-n-regiunea-olteniei-n-apropierea-z-c-m-ntului-totea-aflat-n-produc-ie|publisher=Petrom|website=www.omvpetrom.com|title=O nouă descoperire de gaze în regiunea Olteniei, în apropierea zăcământului Totea, aflat în producție|lang=ro|access-date=January 28, 2024}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://m.ziuanews.ro/dezvaluiri-investigatii/teorie-n-cazul-cutremurelor-din-gorj-seismele-ar-putea-fi-provocate-de-o-exploatare-de-gaz-la-mare-ad-ncime-a-omv-din-jude-1575128|title=Teorie în cazul cutremurelor din Gorj: Seismele ar putea fi provocate de o exploatare de gaz la mare adâncime a OMV din județ!|lang=ro|work=Ziua|date=February 19, 2023|access-date=January 28, 2024}} These rumors have not been substantiated, with USR MP Radu-Dinel Miruță denying the use of fracking in the Totea–Hurezani region,{{cite news|url=https://www.radioinfinit.ro/1017-deputat-in-turcia-tot-din-cauza-forajelor-de-la-hurezani-a-fost-cutremurul-de-mica-adancime/|title=Deputat: În Turcia tot din cauza forajelor de la Hurezani a fost cutremurul de mică adâncime?|lang=ro|trans-title=MP: Was the shallow earthquake in Turkey also because of the Hurezani drilling?| website=www.radioinfinit.ro| date=February 26, 2023|access-date=January 28, 2024}} and others declaring those rumors to be fake news.{{cite news|url=https://www.gorjonline.ro/analiza-in-urma-cutremurelor-de-la-gorj-sunt-numai-fake-news-uri/|title=Analiză în urma cutremurelor de la Gorj. "Sunt numai fake-news-uri!"|lang=ro|trans-title=Analysis following the Gorj earthquakes. "It's only fake news!"|work=Gorj Online|first=Iuliu| last=Goiceanu| date=February 22, 2023|access-date=January 28, 2024}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|id=Ye1CRapn_bQ|title=Sector 5 Bustuchin, Parc 1 Totea Collection and Processing Station – Romania – June 2021}}
{{Resources in Romania}}
{{coord missing|Gorj County}}