Duesseldorf - one of largest hopes in the European energy market is deeply under the Hungarian Puszta. Here, approximately around the small town Mako, lies one of the largest gas fields of the continent. Experts estimate his strength at the three-way volume of the proven British reserves.
So far the Mako field only few geologists was well-known. The occurrence was not considered because of its difficult geological situation as economically. But now, with the high energy prices that changed. At present first drillings into a depth are advanced by 7000 meters. Already starting from 2010 the field gas is to feed into the European net. “Our technology is proving measures successfully, if it concerns a better effectiveness, around difficult reserves to unlock”, said Exxon Entwicklungschef Elwyn Griffiths. Hungarian politicians hope already that the import dependence of the country on the Russian public enterprise Gazprom can be terminated by the Mako field. Beyond that Eastern Europe can be supplied even completely with gas, it is said. First export contracts for the year 2012 with Austria are already negotiated.
The Mako field is considered as the largest again determined mainland occurrence since the discovery of the Dutch fields with Groningen in the year 1959. The Explorateure of the American Scotia Group estimated the new reserves under the Hungarian garlic fields on behalf the company involved Falcon on 1.2 trillion cubic meter gas. Of it about half is usable, it was said under the present market conditions. To the comparison: Over the north Stream pipeline wants to export Gazprom per year 55 billion cubic meter gas straight through the Baltic Sea to Europe.
The first referring to the Hungarian occurrence go back on the seventies. At that time examined geologists Warsaw Pact the lowland of the Puszta on possible oil and gas reserves. They stated that there had to be hydrocarbons in large depth here. However they were enclosed in rock. The rock was hardly porous and does not read the gas not. Due to the depth it seemed besides with difficulty to control the high temperatures. An exploitation of the reserve was technically impossible thereby. Only end of the eighties let the World Bank the area examine again. Now for the first time scientists from the west got wind of the occurrence.
Beginning of the 90's provided the American geologist John Gustavson all available data. It compared it with experiences, which were made in the U.S. state Wyoming. There and in Texas the companies exploit Exxon and BP under similar difficult geological conditions since years of gas fields.
Since 2002 Gustavson oil companies for its project tried to win, but only 2005 entered Marc Bruner. The manager knows itself with difficult gas reserves out. As a boss of the oil company Ultra petroleum it was involved in gas projects in Wyoming. Bruner created the company Falcon gas & oil and could 2006 the first test drillings successfully lock. In this April Bruner agreed with Exxon and the Hungarian company mol on joint venture.
At the Mako field today MOL and Exxon hold ever 40.4 per cent, Falcon possess the remaining 19.2 per cent. The investments into the field are enormous. MOL estimates that over the entire running time approximately 15 billion euro must be put into approximately 2000 boreholes. (babelfish translation)
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