Farman Salmanov
Encyclopedia
Farman Gurban oglu Salmanov (Azeri
: Fərman Salmanov; ; July 28, 1931, Morul
– March 31, 2007, Moscow
) was an Azerbaijani
geologist
famous for discovering great oil field
s in Western Siberia
in Tyumen Oblast
in 1961.
Farman Salmanov was born in the village of Morul of Shamkhor
district of Azerbaijan SSR
in a family of farmers. After graduating from school with honors, he entered the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute and upon graduation was sent to explore oil in Kuzbass. He soon realized that there was no oil in Kuzbass, and decided to move with volunteers from his exploration team to Surgut
in Siberia without the consent of the Soviet authorities. According to the doctrine prevailing at the time in the Soviet geological science Siberia was not considered an oil-bearing region. The authorities tried to initiate criminal prosecution of Salmanov, but had to give a post factum approval of his mission when his team threatened they would go on strike.
Salmanov struck oil on March 21, 1961 in the Megion
field. He sent all his opponents similar telegrams: "Dear comrade, an oil fountain is gushing from the depth of 2,180 meters in Megion. Is it clear?" His opponents in the Soviet Ministry of Geology said that it was a natural anomaly and that the oil fountain would soon exhaust. When Salmanov struck the second oil reserve in Ust-Balyk, he sent a telegram to the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev
: "I found oil. That's it." The Soviet
leaders realized the importance of Salmanov's discoveries, and Siberian oil soon became the main driving force of Soviet economy and a primary source of hard currency
for the Soviet budget.
Farman Salmanov dedicated fifty years of his life to the oil-and-gas industry of the Soviet Union and Russia
, and discovered or participated in the discovery of over one hundred fields, including such huge oil and gas reserves as Mamontovskoye, Megionskoye, Pravdinskoye, Ust-Balykskoye, Surgutskoye, Urengoyskoye, Yamburgskoye, etc. He was awarded the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor
in 1966 and the Lenin Prize
in 1970. From 1978 to 1987 Salmanov headed the Glavtyumengeology after Y.G. Ervier
, an organization in charge of oil and gas exploration in Tyumen Oblast. In 1987–1991 he was the first deputy to the Minister of Geology of the USSR. Until his death, Salmanov was an adviser to the president of Russian Itera
Gas Company. Farman Salmanov was doctor of geological-mineralogical sciences, a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
, the author of over 160 monograph
s and scientific works. He was an honorary citizen of Khanty-Mansi
and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
s, the city of Surgut
, and the state of Texas
. A number of feature and documentary films were dedicated to Salmanov's story.
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
: Fərman Salmanov; ; July 28, 1931, Morul
Shamkir
Shamkir is a rayon in Azerbaijan. It is located in the northwestern part of the Azerbaijan Republic. The rayon was previously called "Shamkhor" during the Soviet rule and was renamed to Shamkir only in 1991 after restoration of independence of Azerbaijan. The district was established in 1930...
– March 31, 2007, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was an Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
famous for discovering great oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
s in Western Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
in Tyumen Oblast
Tyumen Oblast
Tyumen Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Tyumen. The oblast has administrative jurisdiction over two autonomous okrugs—Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Tyumen is the largest city, with over half a million inhabitants...
in 1961.
Farman Salmanov was born in the village of Morul of Shamkhor
Shamkir
Shamkir is a rayon in Azerbaijan. It is located in the northwestern part of the Azerbaijan Republic. The rayon was previously called "Shamkhor" during the Soviet rule and was renamed to Shamkir only in 1991 after restoration of independence of Azerbaijan. The district was established in 1930...
district of Azerbaijan SSR
Azerbaijan SSR
The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Azerbaijan SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union....
in a family of farmers. After graduating from school with honors, he entered the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute and upon graduation was sent to explore oil in Kuzbass. He soon realized that there was no oil in Kuzbass, and decided to move with volunteers from his exploration team to Surgut
Surgut
Surgut is a city in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on the Ob River near its junction with the Irtysh River, the largest in the autonomous okrug and the second largest in Tyumen Oblast. Population:...
in Siberia without the consent of the Soviet authorities. According to the doctrine prevailing at the time in the Soviet geological science Siberia was not considered an oil-bearing region. The authorities tried to initiate criminal prosecution of Salmanov, but had to give a post factum approval of his mission when his team threatened they would go on strike.
Salmanov struck oil on March 21, 1961 in the Megion
Megion
-External links:* *...
field. He sent all his opponents similar telegrams: "Dear comrade, an oil fountain is gushing from the depth of 2,180 meters in Megion. Is it clear?" His opponents in the Soviet Ministry of Geology said that it was a natural anomaly and that the oil fountain would soon exhaust. When Salmanov struck the second oil reserve in Ust-Balyk, he sent a telegram to the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
: "I found oil. That's it." The Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
leaders realized the importance of Salmanov's discoveries, and Siberian oil soon became the main driving force of Soviet economy and a primary source of hard currency
Hard currency
Hard currency , in economics, refers to a globally traded currency that is expected to serve as a reliable and stable store of value...
for the Soviet budget.
Farman Salmanov dedicated fifty years of his life to the oil-and-gas industry of the Soviet Union and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and discovered or participated in the discovery of over one hundred fields, including such huge oil and gas reserves as Mamontovskoye, Megionskoye, Pravdinskoye, Ust-Balykskoye, Surgutskoye, Urengoyskoye, Yamburgskoye, etc. He was awarded the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labour was an honorary title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. It was the highest degree of distinction for exceptional achievements in national economy and culture...
in 1966 and the Lenin Prize
Lenin Prize
The Lenin Prize was one of the most prestigious awards of the USSR, presented to individuals for accomplishments relating to science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. It was created on June 23, 1925 and was awarded until 1934. During the period from 1935 to 1956, the Lenin Prize was...
in 1970. From 1978 to 1987 Salmanov headed the Glavtyumengeology after Y.G. Ervier
Raul - Yuri Georgievich Ervier
Raul-Yuri Georgievich Ervier was a Soviet geologist and director of the main Tyumen production geological department...
, an organization in charge of oil and gas exploration in Tyumen Oblast. In 1987–1991 he was the first deputy to the Minister of Geology of the USSR. Until his death, Salmanov was an adviser to the president of Russian Itera
Itera
ITERA International Group of Companies is a Russia-based private-owned corporate group with headquarters in Moscow. Its core business primarily focuses on gas and gas processing...
Gas Company. Farman Salmanov was doctor of geological-mineralogical sciences, a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
, the author of over 160 monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
s and scientific works. He was an honorary citizen of Khanty-Mansi
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug , also known as Yugra, is a federal subject of Russia . Population: The people native to the region are the Khanty and the Mansi, known collectively as Ob Ugric people...
and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug , is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the town of Salekhard. Population: -Geography and natural history:...
s, the city of Surgut
Surgut
Surgut is a city in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on the Ob River near its junction with the Irtysh River, the largest in the autonomous okrug and the second largest in Tyumen Oblast. Population:...
, and the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. A number of feature and documentary films were dedicated to Salmanov's story.