Reuse of Existing Hydrocarbon Fields and Wells for CO2 Storage Operations in Romania

Reducing the CO₂ emissions is a crucial issue for limiting global warming below 1.5°C and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the only technology that can help achieve the drastic cut on industrial CO₂ emissions needed at this point. Reusing existing hydrocarbon fields and wells for CO₂ storage operations could boost the deployment of CCS. This reuse could represent a good opportunity for implementation of CCS technology in Romania, since many of the hydrocarbon fields are approaching their end of life, following more than 160 years of hydrocarbon exploitation. The advantage of reusing fields and wells comes from the previous knowledge of the reservoir complex, the existence of proved geological traps and the relatively uniform geographical distribution. Nevertheless, the reuse of existing infrastructure comes with some associated risks for the integrity of storage which should be properly assessed and balanced when considering reuse. There are also some regulatory aspects which should be clarified for a comprehensive national legal framework enabling field and well reuse. Stakeholder awareness and acceptance is also an important factor to be taken into consideration.