History of the Baku Oil Industry. Part 29

After the discovery of oil fields, Baku became a special place, where various economic and political interests of international coalitions, industrial clans and leaders were concentrated and clashed. VK begins publishing chapters from the book by Ismail Agakishiev "History of the Baku Oil Industry and the Second Oil Boom (second half of the 19th century - beginning of the 20thcentury.)". The book presents a historical analysis of the emergence and current state of the Azerbaijani oil industry.

At the XVII Congress of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan in January 1949, in his report to the head of the party organization of the republic, M.D. Bagirov, recognizing the regular failure to accomplish the plan for production of oil on land, named the delay in exploration as the main cause. At the same time he had to say: "we did not pay proper attention on time." He saw shortcomings in "selecting the best, proven people," as another reason for the failure to follow the plan. He explained the wells not being at work only by the poor performance of managers and professionals, low technical discipline, accidents as well as wasteful spending. Bagirov noted that there was "mismanagement, a non-governmental attitude towards the national heritage on the part of a great number of executives in the oil industry and not only in the oil industry." He added: "Enough has been said to demand from the heads of associations, trusts, crafts, plants and other enterprises of the oil industry to end this anti-state phenomena,." Apparently, the head of Azerbaijan connected necessary work in the oil industry with the personal dedication of employees, and explained every mistake on failure of managers and specialists with their anti-state and, in essence, political thoughts. He seemed to continue explaining economic failures on the malice of enemies.

Bagirov did not cease to mention the care of the party and Stalin personally, as well as “daily assistance to the Azerbaijani oil workers given by a faithful companion of comrade Stalin, Lavrenty Pavlovich Beria, who personally deals with oil questions.”

Three years later, at the XXIX Congress of the Azerbaijani Communist Party in September 1952, Bagirov again touched upon the shortcomings of the oil industry in Azerbaijan. He had to admit that "recently the increase in oil extraction comes from the sea fields; we still have not achieved an increase of oil extraction on the land.” He mentioned the unfulfilled plan for drilling and exploring. He named specific people, managers and specialists, who were to be blamed for that. According to Bagirov’s formula, they were criminals among the oil workers, “who raise concerns because of their anti-Soviet behavior and who are now uncovered and fired.” All the problems were attributed to personal mistakes and radical personnel changes were presented as the panacea. Bagirov continued that there is a need for new people who “can ensure the successful realization of party and government tasks, people who do no raise any doubts and who deserve full trust. Only those who love their socialist country more than themselves, those ready to protect it until their death, can put the rich oil reserves and possibilities of the republic to serve their motherland.”

Bagirov’s rhetoric fits in with the formula of the time that “there are no fortresses that the Bolsheviks cannot conquer.” Yet neither this resource, nor the constant encouragement and threatening of the personnel could ensure new records. Material motivation of the workers brought more perceptible results. The role of the “Oil fund” was particularly noticeable. The regular bonuses to the workers for success in exploring the new oil fields and the implementation of the new industrial methods continued on an unprecedented scale. In 1948 the bonus to the workers in one factory alone reached 4.5 million roubles – an enormous sum in those times.

Every year specialists and workers in the oil sectors received the Stalin Prize – the  most prestigious award of the time. Thus, in 1950 the award was given to the heads of the Ustababa Pir Mamed plant - M. Rasulov, M. Lalayan, V. Gritsenko, D. Mamedov and A. Arutyuno - the engineers G. Ovnatanov, E. Mekhtiyev, A. Krasnobayev, M. Matys, S. Movsumzade, A. Suleimanov, M. Abdullayev and K. Aliverzade, and the workers E. Djioyev and M. Veli Ameddjafar-ogly. And this year was no means exceptional. In 1952, the Stalin Prize was given for the development of a complex method for the exploitation of the oilfields to a group of specialists led by the head of “Azneft” A.P. Krasayev. The group included the engineers M.G. Aliyev, I.Y. Prok, S.Z. Akhmedov, A.G. Gabreilyan and the drilling master A.M. Babayev.

The increase in efficiency was attributed to the reorganization of the management system. During the war, the management of the plants was centered in “Azneft”. Two other similar groups appeared right after the war – “Aznefterazvedka” and “Azmorneft”. In 1953 “Azneft”, “ Aznefterazvedka” and “Azmorneft” were united into one enterprise  - “Azneft.” This was not the end in the search for efficient management solutions. On June 2, 1954, a separate Ministry of the Oil Industry was created in Azerbaijan. The status of the ministry was union-republican. In 1957, after the creation of the republican councils of the people’s economy (Sovnarkhoz), the Ministry of the Oil Industry was dissolved, while its plants were moved to the authority of the Azerbaijani Sovnarkhoz. Afterwards, the number of oil plants was increased.