Romania has the tools and technical conditions to develop its production and storage capacity in order to achieve energy independence from imports and to mitigate the effects of the energy crisis. The essential element for achieving these two objectives is onshore gas production, according to the general director of Depogaz Ploiești, Vasile Cârstea, an energy expert with 38 years of experience in the gas field.

“It is clear that investment must be made in the production side, by both big players – Romgaz and OMV. Both must focus on onshore deposits. We have the necessary resources with which we can mitigate this crisis. (…) We don’t have to keep an eye only on the gases from the Black Sea, because there are resources on land that can be brought to the surface with much lower costs. That is why it is necessary to focus our attention on these deposits on land”, said Cârstea, at the conference “O&G – answers for today, answers for tomorrow”, organized by Energynomics.

Depogaz has a 91% share of the gas storage market in Romania and currently has 77% full warehouses, above the level estimated for September 1.

“We have 77% in deposits (pn September 8th, e.n.). Regardless of the weather, it will be a delicate situation, but we are doing our best and are ready to respond and ensure supply to all consumers. Even though some supply routes from Russia are closed, stockpiling targets are being met. We are above the storage level we assumed on September 1st and even above the contracted quantities for September. So, the gas flows from somewhere, even in this rather delicate geopolitical situation”, according to Cârstea.

Depogaz Ploiești is the gas storage branch of Romgaz Mediaș. The company operates five storage warehouses with a cumulative capacity of 2.76 billion cubic meters (m3). The company plans to carry out more investments to increase its gas storage capacity to 4.2 – 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

“O&G – answers for today, answers for tomorrow” conference was organized by Energynomics, with the support of its partners: ACE Industrial Software, Romgaz, Schneider Electric.