Overview

Dates

Start: Monday 30 Sep 2019
End: Sunday 20 Oct 2019

Location

The campaign takes place in Romania with a focus on the oil- and gas-production regions around Bucharest and in Transylvania. The target areas are dedicated to the scientific objectives. The definition of target areas is crucial for ROMEO and one of the main topics of preparation. It includes information of Romanian authorities, involved oil & gas companies and open sources such as existing emission inventories and well locations.
According to the aim of ROMEO, initially five regions based on emission inventory information (Fig. 1) were identified as possible targets. All areas show oil and / or gas production activities and facilities. Based on additional information from pre-campaign flights and inventory verifications, the locations of the gas basins and gridded information on production sites, the target regions were narrowed down to areas in Transylvania and around Bucharest as the largest natural gas fields but also underground storage capacities are located in these regions (Fig. 2). The selected areas have an average size of 40x60 km, are logistically reachable within the constraints of ROMEO and suitable for the applied methods during the campaign. The areas belong to three Romanian regions: Oltenia (western Walachia), Muntenia (eastern Walachia) and Transylvania. Table 1 gives an overview of the selected areas.

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Fig.1: Initial target regions based on emission inventory information Fig. 2: Overview of potential areas to be investigated during ROMEO, including largest gas fields and underground storage facilities in Romania

Table 1: overview of areas and short description

Area nr. Size Main cities Geographical characterisation main operator in the area
2 45 x 70 km Craiova Hilly, mix forest and agricultural, in the north foothills of the Transylvanian Alps, heights 100 - 300 m Petrom
4 35 x 70 km Scornicesti / Albota Hilly, mix forest and agricultural, in the north foothills of the Transylvanian Alps, heights 200 - 450 m Petrom
5a 40 x 70 km Silistea-Gumesti Agricultural, Hilly, heights 70 - 220 m Petrom
6 40 x 55 km Targoviste Hilly, mix forest and agricultural, foothills of the Transylvanian Alps, heights 800 - 150 m Petrom
7 40 x 50 km Ploiesti / Strejnicu Hilly, mix forest and agricultural, foothills of the Transylvanian Alps, heights 600 - 150 m Petrom
8 35 x 45 km Urziceni Flat, agricultural, heights 30 - 80 m Petrom
11 (optional) 35 x 70 km Bacau Forest, Eastern Carpathian Mountains, heights 400 - 1500 m Petrom
12 40 x 55 km Targu Mures / Ludus Agricultural, Northern Transylvanian Plateau, height 250 - 600 m Romgaz
13 40 x 50 km Medias Agricultural, Transylvanian Plateau, height 250 - 500 m Romgaz
14 45 x 60 km Sighisoara mix forest and agricultural, Eastern Transylvanian Plateau, height 300 - 700 m Romgaz

The dedication of teams to the areas, the proposed measurement timelines during the campaign and the selection of driving routes depended on the following criteria:

  • Measurement locations are geographically reachable by the mobile platform (geographically and timely)
  • Availability of teams
  • Minimization of travel time
  • Geographical suitability of locations for applied methods

Ground-based group A

The Ground-based A group will investigate 3 areas north and north-east of Bucharest, which all belong to the eastern Walachia or Muntenia. Fig. XX shows the envisaged measurement areas 6 (around Târgoviște), 7 (around Ploiești), and 8 (around Urziceni). Yellow circles indicate active wells, white circles the inactive ones in the region.
Area 6 is part of Dâmbovița County, the capital city is Târgoviște. The county's landscape has three main forms with mountains from the Southern Carpathians group (the Bucegi Mountains and the Leaotă Mountains) in the north, the sub-Carpathian hills in the middle and parts of the Romanian Plain in the south. In Târgoviște one of the biggest steel factories in Romania is located. Predominant industries are also oil extraction and refinery, textile and chemical industry. Near Cornesti, In the corner south of area 6 and 7, is the Bilciuresti underground storage located, the largest of the 6 Romanian storage facilities (all operated by Romgaz).
Area 7 is part of the Prahova County, a heavily industrialised area containing the main oil reserves in Romania. The oil industry with almost 50% of the county's industrial production is the predominant industry in this area. Besides this also chemical industry, rubber, food and textile industry are present. To some extent also agriculture is developed - in the southern part mainly extensive agriculture and the hills area is well suited for wines and fruit orchards. In total it realises about 3% of the country's agricultural production.
Area 8 belongs to the Ialomița County around the city Urziceni. It is situated in the Bărăgan Plain in south-eastern Romania, a flat and steppe plain area crossed by small rivers with small but deep valleys. The area is mainly agricultural, mostly cereal-growing. Industry, focussed on food and textile industry, is almost entirely concentrated around Slobozia. The region is known for its black soil and a rich humus. In Urziceni underground storage facilities for natural gas are located.
Optional also area 11 in the eastern part of Romania around Comănești will be investigated. The area belongs to the Bacău county, which was one of the most industrialized regions in the communist period. It remained Moldavia's most important industrial center ever since. The predominant industries in the county are the chemical and the oil industry, with two large oil refineries at Onești and Dărmănești. Around Comănești coal and forest industry was the dominating industry until a few years ago. Both are closed and economically this area is dominated by small local businesses. Bacău county is restricted by the Eastern Carpathian mountains in the west with decreasing heights towards the East. The lowest point can be found on the Siret River valley which crosses the county from North to South in the middle. On the East side there is the Moldavian Plateau crossed by many small rivers.

Ground-based group B

The Ground-based B group will investigate 3 areas in the Wallachia north-east and east of Bucharest, and also 3 areas in Transylvania. Fig. XX shows the envisaged measurement areas 2 (around Craiova), 4 (around Scornicesti), and 5a (around Silistea-Gumesti), Fig. XX shows the ones in Transylvania (area 12 - 14). Yellow circles indicate active wells, white circles the inactive ones in the region.
Area 2 lays in the triangle of the three counties Dolj, Olt, and Vâlcea, mainly on the Romanian plain. The region is relatively flat and dominated by agriculture, mainly suited for growing cereals and vegetables. Other industries such as automotive, heavy electrical and transport equipment industry are mainly located in the city of Craiova, which is the largest city in southwestern Romania. Area 2 is restricted in the East by the Olt, a river distributing the Wallachia into Muntenia (the eastern part) and Oltenia (western part). In area 2 lays the Chercesti gas field and also underground storage facilities.
Area 4 covers the north of the Olt and the middle of the Argeș County. As area 2, the area is relatively flat and dominated by agriculture. Oil is being extracted in the eastern part of the area. Also there are a few coal mines. Area 4 is separated in the north-east from area 6 by the Argeș River.
Area 5a lays mainly in the counties Teleorman and Argeș on the parts of the Romanian plain. The area is flat and dominated by agriculture. There is some oil extraction in the south of the area.
Area 12 lays, together with the areas 13 and 14, mainly on the Transylvanian Plateau which is almost entirely surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains. The region is formed of a network of valleys of various sizes, ravines and canyons, united together by numerous small mountain ranges, which attain a height of 150-250 m above the altitude of the valley and a mean elevation of 300-500 m. Area 12 is located in the county triangle of Mures, Cluj and Bistrița-Năsăud. Area 13 lays on the county triangle Mures, Alba, and Sibiu, and area 14 covers the south-eastern part of Mures. Within the selected areas 4 of the main gas fields of Romania are located, including the largest one, the Deleni gas field (area 13). Mureș and Sibiu together produce about 50% of the natural gas developed in Romania.

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