Petroblog: March 2024

Escher F. photo - Oil well No. 17 AR - from the Arnold Heim trip to Romania in 1926

ETH-Bibliothek Zürich Bildarchiv

Oil well No. 17 AR Moreni Sud

Fotograf Escher F.

Moreni, 08.1926

The location : 44.978000, 25.632639

Oil well No. 17 AR Moreni Sud was spud by Astra Romana company on the Tuicani Plateau in the year 1915. The depth of the well was 320 meters. On the Eischer photo the name of the oil well is written on a metal plate mounted halfway up one leg of the derrick ( the metal plate is faceing the other side ). There are three well behind and the left one was in drilling at that time - oil well No. 258 AR . At the drilling derricks all sides were closed with planks. Pleasa and Cristianu hills can be seen in the distance.

Escher F. photo - Cricov oil wells - from the Arnold Heim trip to Romania in 1926

ETH-Bibliothek Zürich Bildarchiv

Cricov oil wells.

Fotograf Escher F.

Moreni, 08.1926

Escher F. photo - Moreni oil wells - from the Arnold Heim trip to Romania in 1926

ETH-Bibliothek Zürich Bildarchiv

Fire prevention.

Fotograf Escher F.

Moreni, 08.1926

What is truly remarkable about this photograph is the fire suppression system mounted on the wooden derrick. You can see a system of pipes mounted on the turret from which steam can be released in opposite directions under pressure. This will extinguish the wooden derrick that has caught fire and will form a steam curtain that will prevent the fire from being supplied with oxygen.