1928 & 1929 burned wells

''Dimineata, Wednesday, December 25, 1929.

What the fire destroyed in Prahova. How many wells burned in 1928 and how many in 1929. Causes of the fires.

In the past few years, especially in 1928 and 1929, there have been frequent incidents of well fires, which have caused incalculable damages. Most of these wells caught fire due to negligence on the part of the security personnel, and a few were caused by so-called short circuits.

In the year 1928, the following well fires were recorded:

Soc. Cometa-Gropi, Well No. 19.
Societ. Petrol Mina-Gropi, Well No. 18.
Soc. Măceş-Bordeni, Well No. 1.
Soc. Renaşterea Româna-Runcu, Well No. 7.
Soc. Concordia-Chiciura, Well 279 bis.
Soc. Astra Română-Moreni: Wells No. 207, 257, 235, 250, 263, 233, 61, 41, 287, 270, 298, and 268.
Soc. Credit Minier-Moreni, Well No. 91.
Soc. Consortiul petrolifer-Gropi, Well 511.
Soc. Măceşul-Bordeni, Well 8.
Soc. Steaua Română-Chiciura, Well No. 1.
Exploatarea Fratia-Buştenari, Well No. 3.

WELLS BURNED IN 1929

Until September 30, 1929, the following wells were burned:
Soc. Concordia-Runcu, Well No. 439.
Exploatarea Plutus-Grâuşor, Well No. 34.
Soc. Victoria-Ţonţeşti, Well No. 16.
Soc. Romolea-Moreni, Well No. 2.
Soc. Oleonaphta-Băicoi, Well No. 4.
Soc. Steaua Romana-Mislea, Well No. 11.
Soc. Petrolmina-Tonţeşti, Well No. 22.
Soc. Geonaphta-Călineţ, Well No. 15.
Soc. Româno-Americana-Moreni, on May 28, the famous Well No. 160 caught fire — it is still burning — and it led to the ignition of Wells No. 235, 36, 289, 304, 307, 161, 78, 155, all belonging to the same company, as well as Wells No. 62 and 48 of Soc. I.R.D.P.
Soc. Romolea-Runcu, Well No. 4, which burned in September and caused an explosion, resulting in the injury of 14 workers, 8 of whom died.

So, in the year 1928, 21 wells burned, and in the year 1929, until September 30, 20 wells burned, with about 10 more since then, making a total of 30.
Before the war, it was rare for a well to catch fire; today it seems to make no impression, even though a burned well results in a production halt of 4 to 5 months and a material loss of about 3 million.

160 RA Moreni Sud in flames

01.07.2023

As I mentioned, most of these wells burned due to negligence, which should result in stricter safety measures and more effective implementation of mining police measures. If the proportion remains the same, it would mean that we will have 40 wells burned next year, which is of great importance in terms of reducing production, which is already considerable, as the number of new wells being drilled annually does not cover the number of burned wells.
In any case, the causes of well fires must be thoroughly investigated, and the underlying factors must be urgently addressed, as it may also be a means of reducing our oil production.''

''Dimineata, Miercuri 25 Decembrie 1929

Ce’a mistuit focul în Prahova. Cate sonde au ars in 1928 şi câte in 1929. Cauzele incendiilor

In cei câţiva ani din urmă mai ales în anii 1928 şi 1929, s’au produs foarte dese incendieri de sonde care se’nţelege că au adus pagube incalculabile. Cele mai multe din aceste sonde au luat foc din neglijenţa organelor de pază şi câteva din cauza aşa ziselor scurte-circuite.

In anul 1928 s’au înregistrat următoarele incendieri de sonde:

Soc . Cometa-Gropi, Sonda No. 19.
Societ. Petrol
Mina-Gropi, Sonda No. 18.
Soc . Măceş-Bordeni, Sonda No. 1.
Soc . Renaşterea Româna-Runcu, Sonda No. 7
Soc . Concordia-Chiciura, Sonda 279 bis.
Soc . Astra Română -Moreni: Sondele No. 207, 257. 235, 250, 263, 233, 61.41 287, 270 298 şi 268.
Soc . Credit Minier-Moreni, Sonda No. 91.
Soc. Consortiul petrolifer-Gropi, Sonda 511.
Soc . Măceşul-Bordeni, Sonda 8.
Soc . Steaua Română-Chiciura, Sonda No 1.
Exploatarea Fratia-Buştenari, Sonda No. 3.

SONDE INCENDIATE IN 1929

In 1929 până la 30 Sept. au fost incendiate următoarele sonde:
Soc . Concordia-Runcu, Sonda No. 439.
Exploatarea Plutus-Grâuşor, Sonda No. 34.
Soc . Victoria-Ţonţeşti, Sonda 16.
Soc . Romolea-Moreni, Sonda 2.
Soc. Oleonaphta-Băicoi, Sonda 4.
Soc. Steaua Romana-Mislea, Sonda No. 11.
Soc . Petrolmina-Tonţeşti, Sonda No. 22.
Soc. Geonaphta-Călineţ, Sonda 15.
Soc. Româno-Americana-Moreni, incendierea în ziua de 28 Mai a faimoasei sonde No. 160 — care arde si acum — şi care a dus şi la incendierea sondelor cu No. 235, 36, 289, 304, 307, 161,78, 155, tot ale acestei societăţi, precum şi incendierea sondelor cu No. 62 şi 48 ale Societ. I.R.D.P.
Soc. Romolea-Runcu, Sonda No. 4 care a ars in Sept. şi făcând explozie a produs accidentarea a 14 lucrători din cari 8 morţi.

Adevărul, 42, nr. 14099, 7 decembrie 1929

Adevărul, 41, nr. 13763, 31 octombrie 1928

Adevărul, 42, nr. 13840, 3 februarie 1929

Adevărul, 42, nr. 14082, 18 noiembrie 192

Deci în anul 1928 au ars 21 de sonde, iar în anul 1929 până la 30 Sept. 20 de sonde şi cu vreo 10 care mai sunt dela acea dată până în prezent, face un total de 30.
Inainte de război era lucru rar, să ardă o sondă; astăzi se pare că nu mai produce nici o impresie, deşi o sondă arsă reprezintă în afară de incetarea producţiei pe 4—5 luni, şi o pagubă materială de circa 3 milioane.
După cum am spus, cele mai multe din aceste sonde au ars din neglijenţă, ceeace ar trebui să aibă ca urmare o înăsprire a măsurilor de siguranţă şi aplicarea mai eficacea măsurilor de poliţie minieră. Dacă proporţia se menţine ar însemna ca la anul să avem 40 de sonde incendiate ceeace este de o mare importanţă din punctul de vedere al diminuărei producţiei şj aşa destul de apreciabilă, întrucât numărul
sondelor noui ce se pun, nu acoperă anual pe cel al sondelor incendiate.
In orice, caz trebue de cercetat amănunţit cauzele incendiilor de sonde şi să se caute neapărat substratul, dacă nu este şi aceasta un mijloc de a se diminua producţia noastră de ţiţei.''

1930 Romolea fire - Stavropoleos wells in flames

 In the evening of 29 January 1930, at Moreni, in the Stavropoleos area, a fire broke out and ingnited three wells. It is assumed that the fire started from a gas lamp and first lit the well No. 2 of ''Romolea'' company. This well had been erupting for two months. From here, the fire ignited well No. 2 of Dacia Romana company and well No. 11 of ''Romania Petrolifera'' company.  Well No. 2 Dacia was in function with 20 tons of oil production per day and well No. 11 RP was abandoned. It has burned also the pumping stations and all the oil stored in large open pits belonging to ''Colombia'', ''Dacia'' and ''Romolea'' companies. In the end at 5 in the morning the fire was estingished. Wells destroyed by fire :

Well Name	Spud Date	Depth
11 RP Moreni Nord	1925	823
2 Olea Moreni Nord	1926	896
2 RV Sicle Moreni Nord	1926	834

Adevărul, 42, nr. 13836, 30 ianuarie 1929

Stavropoleos fire location.

Stavropoleos fire location in our days

Latitude and longitude of location : 44.98527953,25.63672582

1929 Foraky fire - Well No. 4 Romolea

The disaster happened at 6 o'clock in the evening of Saturday 7 September 1929, at Runcu-Scorteni in Prahova county at oil well No.4 Romolea Runcu Bustenari spud in 1929 at 625m. The well was drilled by Foracky company and was in production with 60 tons oil oil per day. In that evening, during bailing, the plunger got stuck in the well casing. Because the  foremen and his 8 men crew couldn't release the plunger they called one of the ''Concordia'' team of 6 men who finished his job at oil well No. 515 Coconea Bustenari( spud in 1930 at 576m ). They tried to release the plunger and they succeeded but after that a powerfull oil and gas eruption came from the well and on spark ignited the entire area. All the men were caught by a 50 meters ball of fire and burned or throw away by the blast. From the team 4 workers died on the spot and the other 10 suffered serious burns. After 2 days another 3 oilmen died and 2 were expected to die. The fire was extingushed in a general effort.

Adevărul, 42, nr. 14023, 10 septembrie 1929

Oil well No. 4 Romolea Runcu Bustenari spud in 1929 at 625 meters.

Latitude and longitude of location : 45.12258528,25.838391