Azerbaijan is an ancient country having highly developed spiritual and material values. Azerbaijan became one of the leaders of oil production in the 19th century. The first oil-rig in the world was installed in our country in 1848. Azerbaijan pioneered the use of steamers as well (1871). Owing to such fabulous industrialist as Rothschild, Rockefeller, Nobel our country provided fifty per cent of the world oil production (11 million tons a year) by 1901.
From 1920to 1991, being a republic of the USSR, Azerbaijan held its leading position in gas-and-oil producing industry, and was known as “Oil Academy of the USSR”. By the way, Azerbaijan pioneered the use of industrial methods in gas production. In 1928 gas production started for the first time by the industrial method, while 1949 oil development started in the sea.
The USSR Soviet of Ministers issued directives “On offshore oil development in the Caspian” dated October 31, 1949 to found the AzNeft Association, while the USSR Oil Industry Ministry issued a decree dated November 4, 1949 to found in the said association structure a Floating Facilities Board.
The Caspian Sea Oil Fleet took its start just from the date. At the same time the floating facilities of the offshore ArtyomHeft and StalinNeft Drilling Trusts were transferred into the structure of new administration. Those were Transportnik, Qalaba, BMK-90 type small tonnage motor-boats, steam tug-boats, Gurgani and Bukhta Ilicha type 20-ton non-self-propelled floating cranes, wooden boat (kirzhim), non-self-propelled barges. The Administration owned just 66 floating means to the number of employees that counted only 700 persons. The USSR Oil Industry Ministry issued a decree dated January 22, 1953 to create the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet on the base of the Floating Facilities Office.
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