There are a number of places in our country, where significant amounts of natural gas reserves hiding underground. Although these reserves, similarly as the Mako gas field are very difficult to exploit, but eventually it will attract international interest. The Magyar Hirlap Online talked about all this with György Szabó CEO of TXM Kft. with an understanding that company business is not to be part of this interview.
What is the difference between conventional and unconventional exploitation method?
In a very simple explanation, with the conventional exploitation method the gas extracted from traps higher up underground where the gas accumulated by migration, not from where the gas was created. On the other hand, with the unconventional exploitation method, you have to drill directly into the strata where the gas is in creation.
What is the depth differential?
The depth of a conventional well varies between 2000-2300 meters. The unconventional wells are drilled to a depth of 4000-6000 meters. I’m proud of the fact, that we have drilled the deepest well in Hungary at 6,085 meters, and I hope you will forgive me but the location of that well is secret. I should mention, at that depth the temperature is 260 Celsius and the pressure is 1000 Atmosphere. It may not be the best analogy, still it is a fact, under these conditions just a few hundred kilogram of porous rock can contain more than a thousand cubic meters of gas. I understand that to a nonprofessional this unimaginable, but that is what our experiments have shown.
When was the first discovery of the unconventional gas field in Hungary?
In the second half of the 1960’s MOL’s predecessor took the first steps in this direction. The experts employed more instinct than science in those days, and we should mention here that the United States at the same time started a similar exploration program in North America, so I dare to say that we were doing a world leading explorations in that regard. Thankfully the Hungarian oil company had an excellent library, despite the embargo they always managed to get the best scientific and trade papers on the subject. To round out the history of the early unconventional explorations, neither the Americans nor we were able to find the answer to the question as how to bring the gas to the surface. Around the year 2000 there were spectacular breakthroughs in North America.
So then, that concluded the Hungarian unconventional explorations?
No, in 1984 with the World Bank credit they deployed 14 wells in the deep drilling program. At that time, this was part of the geological structure study of South-Eastern Hungary.
Are you worried about technological theft? Meaning, through try and error and expense you develop a method and then others simply use that method without any cost to them.
The technological methods cannot be protected by law, but the devil is in the detail. I mean the technology may work in one place, and it may not be as effective somewhere else.
Let’s go back to the gas fields, where are the other fields in Hungry?
In Western Hungary and the South-East Hungary in the Alföld region. We also should look at the Pannon Basin as a whole, Eastern-Slovakia, Western Transylvania, North-East Croatia and the Dráva and Zala Basin
If someone else stars to exploit the gas field near the border regions, can they siphon the gas from this side of the border?
With oil, there were problems in the past. It is very unlikely with the deep unconventional structure.
Many people are unhappy about our gas dependence. Therefore, the automatic question is this, if these resources were brought to production, would that solve our energy problem?
The gas dependence in itself is not as bad thing as it seems. Just think about it, if we still would be using coal and wood for heating our homes in the cities, where would we all be with health related issues. The smog alerts would be daily occurrences in out lives. So this gas dependence is the price we pay for the healthier environment.
Can this dependence be solved?
In addition to gas, with a systematical increase in alternative energy, and with increased efforts for developing unconventional production.
Does it worries you, because of the gas shortage the politicians, may influence the competition?
It would be a serious mistake to embark on that road. With a bad analogy, it is not the politician’s job to decide, technically how to operate a nuclear power plant. There is a limit- staying with the example the fence around the plant- and politicians should not put their foot beyond that. Their job is to create favorable conditions. In this regard, Hungary done an excellent job. For example, in cases where investment was encouraged, even though there are no returns in the short term. If someone decides to develop a gas field and it takes 10 years to bring it to production. And we haven’t even mentioned expenditures.
What happens when all the gas runs out?
Before I answer, let’s clear this up; down there, it is not just X or Y cubic meter of gas, once the gas gone then there is no more. Down there the gas is continuously being made, therefore there is replacement, our only problem is that we do not have enough time to wait for the “container” to be filled again. Therefore, there will be a time when there will not be enough gas left for a commercial production, but not in this century. In my opinion, as a practicing earth science expert, Hungary will have a geothermal “escape route” although I will never see it, because the required technological advancement may take another hundred years.
Interview by András Miklós Lázin
Source: magyarhirlap.hu
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