Transylvanian Composite Total Petroleum System of the Transylvanian Basin Province, Romania, Eastern Europe

Bulletin 2204-E
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Abstract

The Transylvanian Composite Total Petroleum System and the Transylvanian Neogene Suprasalt Gas Assessment Unit were identified in the Transylvanian Basin Province (4057), which lies entirely within the country of Romania. The assessment unit is composed of middle Miocene (Badenian) to Pliocene strata. Gas from the assessment unit is biogenic and originated from bacterial activity on dispersed organic matter in shales and siltstones. Gas migration is believed to be minimal, both vertically and laterally, with gases trapped in local stratigraphic traps and in structural traps (most likely domes and anticlinal folds created by salt diapirism) in the central part of the basin. For this reason, the gas fields also are concentrated in the central part of the basin. Reservoirs are isolated and composed of vertically stacked sandstones and siltstones sealed by shales and possibly by evaporite layers. Traps result from stratigraphic and facies changes within the entire assessment unit stratigraphic section. Some gas fields contain as much or more than a trillion cubic feet, but in most, the estimated resources are between 6 billion and 96 billion cubic feet. Petroleum exploration in the province is in the mature stage, which, combined with the geologic complexity of the region, is considered to limit future discoveries to a relatively few small fields. The undiscovered resources for the Transylvanian Basin Neogene Suprasalt Composite AU in the Transylvanian Hybrid Total Petroleum System (4057) are, at the mean, 2.083 trillion cubic feet of gas. No oil is produced in the basin. Rocks underlying the salt layers were not assessed for hydrocarbon potential.

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Transylvanian Composite Total Petroleum System of the Transylvanian Basin Province, Romania, Eastern Europe
Series title Bulletin
Series number 2204
Chapter E
DOI 10.3133/b2204E
Edition Version 1.0
Year Published 2005
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s) Central Energy Resources Science Center, Central Region Energy Resources Program
Description iii, 10 p.
Larger Work Type Report
Larger Work Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Larger Work Title World Petroleum Assessment 2000
Online Only (Y/N) Y
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