Proceedings World Geothermal Congress 2005 Antalya, Turkey, 24-29 April 2005 Geothermal Energy in Romania: Country Update 2000-2004 M. Rosca1, M. Antics2, M. Sferle3 1 University of Oradea, Faculty of Energy Engineering, 5-9 Armatei Romane St., 410087 Oradea, Romania 3 TRANSGEX S.A., 2 Vasile Alecsandri Str., 410072 Oradea, Romania 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected] Keywords: energy, Romania geothermal health bathing flourished especially in the Western part of Romania. ABSTRACT The geological exploration for hydrocarbon resources Exploration for geothermal resources began in Romania in carried out in Romania after World War II had extensive the early 1960’s, arising from a hydrocarbon research budgets and, especially, the oil crisis of the early seventies program, which, as an unexpected benefit, also identified gave a significant impulse to the identification of eight promising geothermal areas. Within these areas, over geothermal reservoirs including the evaluation of 200 wells, drilled to depths between 800 and 3,500 m, exploitable reserves; proven by boreholes. Many showed the presence of low enthalpy geothermal resources geothermal operations have been completed between 1975 (40-120°C). Completion and experimental exploitation of and 1990, mainly for greenhouse heating, space and hot tap over 100 wells during the past 25 years has enabled water heating, some industrial applications, and for health evaluation of the exploitable heat available from these and recreational bathing. geothermal resources. Proven geothermal reserves in Romania are currently about 200,000 TJ for 20 years. The existence of both the resources and the consumers provide good opportunities for the development of direct The main Romanian geothermal resources are found in uses of the geothermal energy. However, practical porous and permeable sandstones and siltstones (for accomplishments of the last ten years are rather modest: example, in the Western Plain and the Olt Valley), or in Beius, Cighid, Oradea and Calimanesti. These projects fractured carbonate formations (Oradea, Bors, North were intended either for modernising the equipment and Bucharest). management of existing geothermal systems, or for the exploitation of new reservoirs. Some of these projects The total thermal capacity of the existing wells is about 480 involved consultants from West European countries, and MWt (for a reference temperature of 25°C). Of this total, have been awarded financial support from the European only 145 MWt are currently used, from 96 wells (of which Union. The completion of these projects took a long time 35 wells are used for balneology and bathing) that are and great efforts, as they required legal and financial producing hot water in the temperature range of 45-115°C. conditions quite new for this part of Europe, where the For 1999, the annual energy utilisation from these wells countries were in different stages of the transition from a was about 2,900 TJ, with a capacity factor of 0.62. More centrally planned to a free market economy. than 80% of the wells are artesian producers, 18 wells require anti-scaling chemical treatment, and six are The large majority of the geothermal projects currently reinjection wells. The main direct uses of the geothermal operating in Romania have low efficiencies, lagging behind energy are: space and district heating 39.7%; bathing in technology, infrastructures and equipment may be 32.2%; greenhouse heating 17.1%; industrial process heat regarded as obsolete. The delivered energy is much lower 8.7%; fish farming and animal husbandry 2.3%. than the demand and the potential of the resources. The absence of an efficient management, the lack of adequate During 2000-2004, four geothermal wells have been drilled maintenance, and mainly the lack of funds required for the in Romania with National financing, and one additional retrofitting of the geothermal operations did not allow the well is in progress at this writing. All the four wells, drilled full development of the exploitable resources. to depths ranging from 2,000 m to 3,000 m, have been successful, producing geothermal water with 37-84°C The development of direct uses of Romanian geothermal wellhead temperatures. resources has been hindered considerably by the inevitable difficulties attending transition from a centrally planned to a 1. INTRODUTION free market economy. Moreover, inadequate knowledge of, Romania, as many other Central and Eastern European and difficult access to the latest technology developments, (CEE) Countries, has significant low enthalpy (50-120°C) as well as lack of know-how to identify and prepare geothermal resources suitable for direct heat utilisation: relatively complex projects has hampered the development space heating, tap water heating, greenhouse heating, fish of geothermal resources more than would have been farming, animal husbandry; aquaculture, health and expected, given the demonstrated substantial resources and recreational bathing, etc. the substantial benefits deriving from geothermal use. Until the 1970s, these resources have only been partially As a result, current geothermal production falls far short of used, mainly for health and recreational bathing. The use of the country’s considerable demonstrated potential because natural hot springs in the Pre-Carpathian area of Romania of non sustained production (self flowing mode instead of has been known since the time of the Roman Empire, when artificial lift) and the lack of injection into the source the Dacia province had famous health spas: Geoagiu, reservoir of the heat depleted brine. Some systems, on a Herculane and Felix Spa. During the last hundred years, limited basis though, are applying the doublet concept of 1 Rosca, Antics, Sferle heat mining (Oradea, Bors, Otopeni – all fissured carbonate variety of geothermal areas: Oradea, Felix Spa, Herculane reservoirs). Relatively low cost reinjection in sandstone Spa, Geoagiu, Calan, Caciulata, Mangalia (Cohut and reservoirs will become critical for the disposal of the heat Arpasi, 1995). depleted brine in many locations, due to new environment protection legal regulations. The first geothermal well in Romania was drilled in 1885 at Felix Spa, near Oradea. The well was 51 m deep, with a Other barriers for geothermal development are: flow rate of 195 l/s and a temperature of 49°C. This first • Lack of fiscal support from the government; well is still in operation. It was followed by the well drilled • State subsidy for heat from fossil fuels reduces the at Caciulata (in 1893 - 37°C), Oradea (in 1897 - 29°C) and competitiveness of geothermal energy; Timisoara (in 1902 - 31°C). • Lack of potential financing from municipalities for secondary network development; The search for geothermal resources for energy purposes • Low potential of the drilling companies to invest in began in the early 60’s, based on a detailed geological well or network development; program for hydrocarbon resources (that had extensive • Restrictive credit policies of commercial banks. budgets). There are over 200 wells drilled with depths between 800 and 3,500 m, that shows the presence of low The current Romanian legislation relevant to geothermal enthalpy geothermal resources (40÷120°C), which enabled development is harmonized with European Union principles the identification of 9 geothermal areas, 7 in the Western and supports renewable energies, among which geothermal part and 2 in the Southern part. The completion and is specifically mentioned. The mineral resources (including experimental exploitation (considered as part of geological geothermal) are owned by the State, their exploration and investigation) of over 100 wells in the past 25 years made exploitation being regulated by the Mining Law issued in possible the evaluation of exploitable heat from geothermal 1998. The National Agency for Mineral Resources is the reservoirs. The proven reserves, with the already drilled Governmental institution in charge with issuing exploration wells, are estimated at about 200 PJ for the next 20 years. and exploitation permits (long term concession). The total installed capacity of the existing wells is about 480 MWt (for a reference temperature of 30°C). Out of this In 2003, the Romanian Government approved the “Strategy only 150 MWt is currently used, from 67 wells that are for the development of renewable energy sources”, which producing hot water in temperature range of 55÷115°C. sets short and medium term targets in accordance with the EU principles and directives. The Kyoto objectives imply For 1997, the annual energy utilisation for direct use was for the European Union, between 2008 and 2012, a about 2,700 TJ, from which health and recreational bathing reduction by 8% of the greenhouse gases emission was 870 TJ, with a load factor of 63 %. The main direct compared to the 1990 level (corresponding to about 600 uses of geothermal heat are: space and tap water heating for million tons per year of CO2 equivalent). The European domestic uses 36%, health and recreational bathing 32 %, Council Resolution on renewable energies of 8 June 1998 greenhouse heating 23%, industrial processes heat (wood seeks a doubling of the share of renewables from 6% at and grain drying, milk pasteurisation, flax processing) 7%, present to 12% in 2010. These targets are also assumed by fish farming 2%. More than 80 % of the wells are artesian Romania, as it intends to join the European Union in 2007. producers, 18 of them require anti-scaling chemical treatment, and 5 are reinjection wells (Panu, 1995). At present, except for hydro, all other renewable energy sources have minor contributions to the Romanian energy About 40 wells are used for health and recreational bathing mix. The main energy sources are still fossil fuels. The in 16 spas that have a treatment capacity of over 850,000 first 700 MW unit is currently on-line, the second being people per year. In 1997, the average flow rate was 275 l/s, expected to start operation in 2006. the water temperatures in the rage of 35÷65°C.