Oriented on making people closer

As the National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted: "The history of our country is full of examples of heroism and selflessness, which inspire us to new achievements". The nationalization of the oil industry in Turkmenistan after the establishment of Soviet power became an important stage in the history of the country. This process took place in difficult conditions, but thanks to the efforts of workers and engineers, as well as the support of the state, it was possible to lay the foundation for the further development of the oil industry.

In a previous publication on the history of oil production, we described the contribution of the Nobel brothers, who introduced new technologies, built infrastructure and attracted foreign investment. The development of the Trans-Caspian railway also played a key role, contributing to the growth of oil production and transportation.

After the establishment of Soviet power in Turkmenistan, as in all other regions of the country, work was launched to nationalize the oil industry. However, in western Turkmenistan it took place in difficult conditions. The fact is that the boards of the main industrial enterprises of the region were located in Baku and Petrograd, and the managers who remained in place refused to comply with the demands of the Soviet government, citing the lack of entrepreneurs. At that time, oil, ozokerite, salt, fish and other industries, which belonged to large lessees and owners of various firms, mostly foreign, had not yet been nationalized in the first half of 1918. Therefore, the Krasnovodsk Council limited itself to establishing control over the industries and the stocks of products available there.

The work that had begun to create the foundations of a socialist economy was interrupted by the intervention of counter-revolutionary forces, who temporarily seized the leading oil bases in Turkmenistan. During the period of domination by the White Guards and foreign interventionists, the oil fields were subjected to predatory exploitation, the equipment was plundered, partially destroyed and buried in disarray. Oil and water tanks were destroyed.

Some restoration work on Cheleken began only in 1920, but it was carried out manually, the wells were cleared of stones, iron fragments, and sand. Subbotniks and Voskresenniks, representing a new attitude to the work of workers, engineers, technicians, and employees, played an important role in the restoration of the oil fields. As a result of the heroic efforts of the workers, the “oil cemeteries” inherited from the oil industrialists were not only saved from further decline and ruin, but also put on the path of development, thanks to which 4.6 thousand tons of oil were already produced in 1920-1921.

However, the Cheleken oil fields, which had been changing hands and suffered greatly due to the theft of materials, machines, electric motors, and spare parts for the restoration of wells, since November 1921 were finally transferred to the Supreme Council of the National Economy of the Turkestan Republic.

From the first days of 1921, the Cheleken oil workers, using deep-pump compressors, increased the production of "black gold". Thus, 276,820 poods of oil were produced during the year. This was the first success in oil production after the establishment of Soviet power in the Transcaspian region.

Restoration work began to be carried out on a much larger scale after the formation of the Turkmen SSR in 1924. Already that year, the «Turkmennebit» trust was organized, which played an important role in the rise of the oil industry of the republic. The formation of the trust and the strengthening of its specialists improved the management of fuel production. On October 1, 1924, the team consisted of 153 people. More than a third of them (48 people) were Turkmen. Among the 111 skilled workers there was a group of 17 drillers and a group of 21 oil producers and repairmen, who had 5th through 10th grades.

By putting in order the oil-producing electric motors and machine tools left over from previous companies, oil workers gradually increased the technical capabilities of industrial equipment in 1924-1925. In 1925, many machine tools, derricks and tanks were repaired and put into operation. In the repair and mechanical workshops, 29 different machines, 15 drilling rigs, 124 drilling derricks and 31 oil tanks were repaired and subsequently used.

In the difficult years of restoring the destroyed economy, Turkmen oil was of great importance, although in terms of production volumes it did not solve the problem of meeting the needs of industry and agriculture of the young republic. In this regard, in addition to the restoration work that had begun, geological research was intensified.

G.P. Kalitsky, V.N. Vober, V.Ya. Sokolov, S.A. Kovalevsky, S.I. Mironov, I.M. Gubkin and other specialists carried out significant work on studying the geological structure and oil-bearing capacity of Cheleken, Nebitdag, Boyadag, and Monzhukly. As a result of their positive assessment of the oil-bearing capacity of the aforementioned areas, in 1926, by decision of the Union Government, an authoritative commission arrived in the Turkmen SSR, which outlined a plan for geological exploration work. And in 1927, at the Nebitdag fields, abandoned back in 1887, exploratory drilling was resumed on the initiative of the Supreme Council of the National Economy of the Turkmen SSR.

The pioneer of scientific study of oil and gas fields in Turkmenistan was the outstanding scientist, academician Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin. In the 1930s, he studied the geological structure of the republic's territory and mobilized geologists to clarify its prospects for oil and gas*.

I.M. Gubkin's first scientific victory was the identification of the Nebitdag territory as a rich oil field. He also predicted the possibility of oil and gas regions of industrial significance in the Garagum Desert. He made the possibility of quickly identifying new oil and gas fields dependent on the widespread deployment of geological exploration and drilling operations (this approach is still relevant today).

However, in 1927-1931, despite the efforts of scientists, drilling exploration operations on the territory of the republic did not always end in success. The reasons for this were the extremely insufficient supply of oil workers with the necessary equipment, the shortage of engineering and technical workers and skilled workers, as well as the difficult climatic conditions of the then uninhabited desert, high air temperatures, lack of drinking water, frequent sandstorms, and impassable roads.

On May 24, 1931, the “Soyuzneft” commission decided to stop exploratory drilling at the 24th well as unpromising. The trust manager V.S. Terentyev categorically opposed this decision. The disputes lasted a long time. While the commission's protocols were being drawn up, drilling at the 24th well continued, and a strong fountain of oil hit from a depth of 471 meters. In three hours, the well ejected 500 tons of oil.

Then, in June, rich oil structures were discovered at three more wells. And on January 31, 1933, an even stronger fountain of oil hit from a depth of 440 meters at the 13th well, which produced 10 thousand tons of oil within 24 hours. From January 31 to February 19, the Nebitdag wells gave the country 150 thousand tons of oil. Thus, thanks to the scientific analysis of scientists and the hard work of oil workers, the prospects of the Nebitdag field were proven. The volume of oil production in Cheleken also gradually increased.

A sharp rise in patriotism was also observed among the oil workers of Turkmenistan during the implementation of the second five-year plan (1933-1937). During this period, the Stakhanovite movement entered the history of the country. The Stakhanovite oil workers also achieved great success. New oil fields were discovered, such as Vyshka and its environs.

However, the peaceful work of the oil workers of Turkmenistan, like all workers of the former USSR, was interrupted by the treacherous attack of Nazi Germany on our country. Now they had to work for a new task under the motto "Everything for the front, everything for victory".

The restoration and development of the oil industry in Turkmenistan in the 1920-1930s became possible thanks to the joint efforts of workers, engineers and government officials. Despite numerous difficulties, it was possible not only to restore the destroyed fields, but also to significantly increase the volume of oil production.

As President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov said: "Our ancestors showed that hard work and unity can overcome any obstacles." These achievements became the basis for further economic growth and prosperity of Turkmenistan.

P.S. In the western part of Balkanabat, the capital of oil workers, there is a monument to pioneers, from where the roads to the largest deposits of the region begin: Goturdepe, Barsagelmes and Cheleken. This monument depicts a camel loaded with water and geologists' tools, which stubbornly moves forward despite the strong wind, as if guarding the desert and its treasures.

The monument is called "Pioneers". The pioneers of this oil and gas region, stretching from the sands of the Karakum Desert to the Ustyurt Plateau and the coast of Karabogazgol, had a hard time. Tireless geologists explored these places in search of minerals, thanks to which there were fewer and fewer "blank spots" on the geological map of the country. A significant contribution to this was made by Academician Ivan Mikhailovich Gubkin, the founder of the Russian school of geologists, whose name is given to the Institute of Oil and Gas in Moscow, who facilitated the creation of a similar educational institution in Turkmenistan.

Orient expresses its appreciation to Elena Vladimirovna Bodrova, Head of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Dr.H.S., Professor

Prepared with the support of the State Concern “Turkmennebit” and Turkmenbashy Complex of Oil Refineries.

To be continued

ORIENT

Bodrova, E. V. Development of the oil industry in the Turkmen SSR on the eve of and during the Great Patriotic War: reasons for the failure to fulfill plans / E. V. Bodrova, V. V. Kalinov // Caspian region: politics, economics, culture. - 2021. - No. 3 (68). - P. 9-18. – DOI: 10.21672/1818-510X-2021-68-3-009-018.

Photo: архив