100th birthday of Sabit Orudzhev – 7

By Vestnik Kavkaza

This year the prominent Baku native, scientist Sabit Orudzhev would have celebrated his 100th birthday. He was the minister of gas industry of the USSR in 1972-1981. His ministry raised the USSR gas production to a record level – 800 billion cubic meters annually. This record wasn’t beaten yet, and Orudzhayev remained the only man in the world who headed a ministry which produced so much gas. Vestnik Kavkaza publishes a series of memories of Orudzhev’s colleagues about him and his reforms.

In the 1970s, Russia's gas export was making way to the markets of Western Europe. Therefore, the fulfillment of export obligation was considered one of the most important tasks of gas industry workers. "It was necessary to ensure not only the supplies, but also to withstand the contractual quality characteristics of gas”, former deputy chief of the Geological Survey of Ministry of Gas Industry of the USSR Nikolai Bely said. “I remember one incident that occurred during World Gas Conference in Toronto, Canada. Shortly before it the gas pipeline Orenburg - Western Border of the USSR was completed, and the Orenburg gas began to flow to Germany. However, cleaning of the gas was not yet established properly, and the gas had rather strong odor. In the German press there were messages that the Russian gas supplies were defective.

Chairman of the Board of "Ruhrgas" Dr. Lisen brought this to the attention of Orudzhev. Sabit Atayevich first tried to laugh it off and to say that apparently there were gas leaks in Germany, so the smell appeared.

But when Dr. Lisen showed to Orudzhev huge wads of newspaper clippings, Sabit Atayevich immediately became serious. Seeing this, the general director of "Orenburggazprom" Yury Fedorovich Vysheslavtsev decided to take the criticism on himself, but Orujov did not allow him that. He assured partners that he would take all necessary measures to ensure that in the near future this issue would be resolved. The Soviet minister was so excited that even Dr. Lisen had to calm him down. In the end, we had to suspend the supply of the Orenburg gas to Germany.

In negotiations with foreign companies Orudzhev could convincingly defend the interests of their country, demonstrate the need to take the necessary and beneficial decisions. Often tough negotiations were interspersed with witty jokes which removed the general stress and made the participants find mutually acceptable solutions. Sabit Atayevich’s authority among foreign partners was quite high".

"In 1973 it was decided to build a gas pipeline "Union" by and at the expense of the seven European socialist countries to which the USSR then had to pay with gas”, the former deputy minister of Gas Industry of the USSR Sergei Kashirov says. “It was something new. In our country thousands of foreigners were employed, and not in a confined space, and isolating foreigners from the local population was not possible. There were special concerns about Germans in the Cherkassy region of Ukraine, where the events of the Great Patriotic War were still fresh in the memory of people. Sabit Atayevich knew the situation of the gas pipeline and understood our problems. "

Orudzhev generally carefully treated foreign economic relations of the industry. He understood that the strength of the external economic relations influenced the pace of development of the gas industry in the country, which lacked many items of components, assemblies and equipment. "We received credits for gas supplies in the form of equipment, such as pipes. But part of the credit went to other sectors of the economy of the country”, former deputy Minister of Gas Industry Stepan Derezhov says. ”Thus, the gas industry helped the development of other ministries and agencies, but above all it provided its own development. Indeed, loans were given for the next few years, and when the time came to pay these loans, "Gazprom” recouped most of the future expenses.

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The cooperation with the USSR was beneficial for Western countries, because they paid for future gas supplies with finished products, promoting the development of new industries.

Thus, all sides showed interest in the Soviet gas exports, which made it possible to find mutually beneficial solutions.

Sabit Atayevich participated in the most crucial negotiations with foreign partners personally. He was extremely talented and flexible negotiator. With its oriental character and humor, Orudzhev could inspire his companions. He often quoted Omar Khayyam, this defused tension and made the atmosphere less formal. In this atmosphere, the parties came to a compromise easier and faster to make responsible decisions.

There were cases when Orudzhev held a very strong position, especially on the prices or disadvantageous for the country credit conditions. Then he was quite tough. The negotiations with the French were especially difficult. But thanks to the clarity of the position of Minister they were successful.

When the industry was led by Orudzhev, the geography of the Soviet natural gas exports increased from three to nine states, and the annual volume of foreign supplies in 1981 reached 59 billion cubic meters of gas. In addition, the future contracts were signed with the GDR and Czechoslovakia for supplies of 7.8 billion cubic meters in 1985 to these countries. As a result, by the early 1980s, the Soviet Union became one of the leading exporters of natural gas to Central Europe.

If the first head of the USSR Ministry of Gas Industry Kortunov "opened the window" to the outside world for the gas industry, Orujov "opened the door" for broad international cooperation of his industry, thus significantly accelerating its development. "

To be continued