Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4461
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4461
09 Oct 2025
 | 09 Oct 2025
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).

Measurement report: Isotopic composition of CH4 emitted from gas exploration sites in the Transylvanian Basin, Romania

Thomas Röckmann, Malika Menoud, Jacoline van Es, Carina van der Veen, Hossein Maazallahi, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Piotr Korben, Sara Defratyka, Martina Schmidt, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, and Calin Baciu

Abstract. Isotope measurements are increasingly used to constrain the methane budget on various scales, from global to regional. The success of isotope-based source attribution depends to a large degree on the knowledge of the isotope signatures of the various source categories at the point of emission, but this information is in many cases lacking. Here we report the isotopic composition of CH4 emitted from 48 installations in the gas production region of Transylvania, Romania. The isotopic source signatures are quite homogeneous across the basin with average values of δ13C = (-65.6 ± 0.5 ‰) and δD = (-184 ± 1 ‰) confirming the biogenic origin of the Transylvanian gas, produced by hydrogenotrophic CO2 reduction. This is similar to values reported previously from natural seeps in Transylvania, to the natural gas exploited in the Dolj region in Southwestern Romania, and to the natural gas in the distribution grid in Cluj-Napoca. However, is more depleted in heavy isotopes than the oil-associated gas emitted in the Southern Romanian Plain, and gas leakages in the city of Bucharest. In addition, we present a step-by-step derivation of the underlying "Keeling plot" mass balance approach that is used to derive isotope source signatures.

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Thomas Röckmann, Malika Menoud, Jacoline van Es, Carina van der Veen, Hossein Maazallahi, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Piotr Korben, Sara Defratyka, Martina Schmidt, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, and Calin Baciu

Status: open (until 20 Nov 2025)

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Thomas Röckmann, Malika Menoud, Jacoline van Es, Carina van der Veen, Hossein Maazallahi, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Piotr Korben, Sara Defratyka, Martina Schmidt, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, and Calin Baciu

Data sets

Isotopic composition of methane emitted from gas production sites in Transylvania T. Röckmann et al. https://doi.org/10.18160/4SJW-ST8W

Thomas Röckmann, Malika Menoud, Jacoline van Es, Carina van der Veen, Hossein Maazallahi, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Piotr Korben, Sara Defratyka, Martina Schmidt, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, and Calin Baciu
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Latest update: 09 Oct 2025
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Short summary
We report the isotopic composition of CH4 emitted from 48 installations in the gas production region of Transylvania, Romania which confirm the biogenic origin of the Transylvanian gas, produced by hydrogenotrophic CO2 reduction. This is similar to values reported previously from natural seeps and natural gas in a major city in the region. However, is more depleted in heavy isotopes than the oil-associated gas emitted in the Southern Romanian Plain, and gas leakages in the city of Bucharest.
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