The glory for two": the petroleum Sibiriada of Tomsk and Tyumen. 1950s-1980s

Systematic petroleum exploration in Western Siberia began in 1948. In 1953, the Berezovsky gas blowout announced the opening of the West Siberian oil and gas province. In 1960, the first oil field in Siberia (Shaim, Tyumen Oblast) was opened. In 1964, production of oil from fields in Tyumen Oblast started. In 1966, production of oil from fields in Tomsk Oblast started. Thus, in the 1960s-1980s, the West Siberian oil and gas complex (ZSNGK) included oil and gas not only in Tyumen, but also in Tomsk. The article describes: 1) the role of Tomsk geology in the opening of the new oil and gas province; 2) the decision on the production of oil in Tomsk Oblast; 3) the personal contribution to the development of the oil and gas industry of Tomsk Oblast; 4) the competition of Tyumen and Tomsk elites. The first inflow of oil in Tomsk Oblast (Kolpashevo) was obtained in 1954. After that exploration in the region increased. However, all exploration in Tomsk was transferred to the subordination of the Geological Department of Tyumen in 1958. The glory of the discovery of oil fields in Western Siberia was recognized only for Tyumen. It is not fair. The discovery of the Siberian fields should be considered as a result of joint activity of geologists of Tyumen and of Tomsk. In 1962, the first commercial oil field was opened in Tomsk Oblast near the boundary of Tyumen Oblast. The oil field was opened by the drilling crew of Nikolay Ponomarev. It was called Sosninskaya. Thereafter, the drilling volumes increased significantly. Nonetheless, attempts by the Tomsk authorities to initiate the development of own fields did not give results for a long time. In 1965, Yegor Ligachev was appointed the first secretary of the Tomsk Regional Party Committee. He was able to get the decision on the production of oil in Tomsk Oblast. On 29 April 1966, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution "On further development of prospecting for oil and gas on the territory of Tomsk Oblast". The document ordered the Ministry of Oil Industry of the USSR to organize a trial operation of wells on the Sosninskaya field in 1966 and to develop measures to speed up putting it into operation. In June 1966, oil production in Tomsk Oblast started. The desire of the leadership of Tomsk to increase the role of the region in creating ZSNGK is understandable. The status of the region with all its consequences depended on the volume of oil and gas production. Although Tomsk could not compete with Tyumen in the volume of oil and gas production, it contributed to the creation of ZSNGK. Despite the rivalry between the political and economic elites, oil and gas companies of both regions shared in the common cause - strengthened the power of the country.

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