Oil Rocks

Profile for Oil Rocks (Neft Daşları) Oil Project

Location and Historical Context

Oil Rocks, also known as Neft Daşları, is located in the Caspian Sea, approximately 100 kilometers from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and 55 kilometers from the nearest coastline.

The discovery of oil in this region dates back to ancient times, with evidence from the third and fourth centuries. However, significant oil extraction began after Russia conquered the territory. By 1941, Azerbaijan was producing 75% of the Soviet Union's entire oil supply.

Discovery and Initial Development

The modern Oil Rocks project began with the discovery of a unique oil deposit under the Caspian Sea in 1949. This discovery was a milestone in the development of Azerbaijan's oil industry. The field was named Oil Rocks, and it marked the beginning of offshore oil drilling on a large scale.

The first exploratory well was started in June 1949, using a drilling base created by sinking the old ship Chvanov at the site. On August 24, 1949, a team led by Mikhail Kaverochkin began drilling, and on November 7, 1949, the well produced its first oil, yielding 100 tons daily.

Construction and Infrastructure

The construction of Oil Rocks was ordered by Stalin and involved building on seven sunken boats, including the first-ever oil tanker, Zoroaster. The city was initially built on wooden piles driven into the seabed, which served as drilling platforms and quays for ships. The relatively shallow depth of the sea in this area, only 20 meters, facilitated the development.

At its peak, Oil Rocks featured:

• 2,000 oil wells
• 300 kilometers of bridges and roads connecting the various infrastructures of the city
• A network of artificial islands and platforms.

Operations and Production

During its peak years, Oil Rocks was a self-sustaining city with:

• 5,000 workers living and working there
• Annual oil extraction of 13 million tons from the sea
• The entire oil and gas production cycle, from extraction to the delivery of finished products, was conducted on site.

Innovative drilling methods were implemented, including drilling multiple wells at various angles from the same platform. Oil was initially transported in tankers, but by 1981, a 78-kilometer-long pipeline was constructed to connect Oil Rocks with the Absheron Peninsula, reducing the reliance on ships.

Significance and Impact

Oil Rocks holds iconic status as the world's first offshore oil platform and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It played a crucial role in the Soviet Union's oil production, accounting for 60% of the oil extracted from Soviet seas. The project also contributed significantly to the development of marine engineering and offshore drilling techniques.

Decline and Current Status

With the fall of the Soviet Union, Oil Rocks began to decline due to the high maintenance costs and the discovery of cheaper oil extraction sites in other inland areas. Many workers relocated, and the city's infrastructure began to disintegrate. Today, only two-thirds of the original infrastructure remains, with barely 45 kilometers of the original 300 kilometers of roads still in use.

Despite this decline, oil is still being extracted from Oil Rocks, and around 2,000 people continue to live and work there. On its 60th anniversary, the Azerbaijani authorities initiated renovations and the construction of new facilities to maintain the site's operational capacity.

Legacy

Oil Rocks remains a pioneering achievement in offshore oil production, influencing the development of modern offshore drilling worldwide. It continues to attract interest from foreign experts and serves as a testament to the innovative engineering and drilling techniques developed in the mid-20th century.