At 8 a.m. on 5th of March 1913 well No. 8 AR Bana Piscuri, in eruption at that time, belonging to the ''Roumanian Consolidated Oilfields, Limited'', caught fire and the outbreak extended to the neighboring wells 6,9,10 and 11 belonging to the same company. The fire quickly spread to the valley and ignited eruptive oil well No. 10 AR GH Z Moreni Bana of Astra Romana. Production from 10 AR was stocked in open pits. One of this open pit was in cleaning at that time and people who worked there were severely burned.There were 10 victims, 4 of whom died, including Harold Manderson, the brother of Thom Manderson, general manager of the ''Roumanian Consolidated Oilfields''. It is belive that the fire started from an electric motor and because of gases soon spread to the valley.
Oil wells destroyed in the blaze :
|
Spud Date |
Depth |
|
|
10
AR GH Z Moreni Bana |
1911 |
336 |
|
11 AR Grozea | 1911 |
294 |
|
25
AR Bana Nord |
1913 |
326 |
|
6
AR Bana Nord |
1911 |
240 |
|
8
AR Bana Piscuri |
1912 |
243 |
|
9
AR GH Z Bana Nord |
1912 |
263 |
 |
''Valea Pacurei'' ( Oil Valley ) in flames |
 |
| Wells that burned on ''Valea Pacurei'' in March 1913 |
A documentary named ''Dezastru de la Moreni'' was made by Alphonse Chagny and Franck Daniau. The film was broadcast in the cinematographic news journals "Leon Popescu Journal".
More informations at the following link :
https://furcuta.blogspot.com/2016/10/catastrofa-din-bana-moreni-2.html