...oil well of the world in 1846.

Tish invited me to this challenge of five photos with each having its own story in five consecutive days. Normally, I do not participate in challenges, but I was lazy recently, was inspired by Tish’s great pictures and stories and had since months in mind a series on “Azerbaijan, the first”. I admit that I cheat a little bit – it is mainly one story, the story of Azerbaijan – told by its achievements from different angles. But I think it is ok and I hope, you, dear visitor, agree with me.

Azerbaijan, the first … why that? Azerbaijan was several times in history the first in the world or its peer group with an achievement and we should know more about it. The photos cannot represent well these achievements and are mainly symbolic, rather than telling the story.

Today: Azerbaijan … the first oil well of the world.

Azerbaijan, which means literally Land of Fire, is one of the cradles of the petroleum industry. Its history, culture, development and fate, is deeply interwoven with the production of oil and gas – since ancient times. The first, still very primitive extraction and use of oil, goes back to the 2nd and 3rd century.

It is not a surprise, that Azerbaijan is linked with Zoroastrianism. Though the Ateshgah Fire Temple, which is often referred to Zoroastrianism is not that old and was built by Indian merchants. However, when it was erected, it was surrounded by natural, eternal flames. Nowadays, the Yanar dag, the burning mountain is burring since decades, a testimony to the still abundant oil and gas resources.

It was most likely the richness of oil, which induced the Russians at the begin of the 19th century to seize part of Azerbaijan from Persia (the still remaining, actually larger part, of ethnic Azerbaijan is still part of Iran). It was 1846 according to Wikipedia that the first oil well was drilled with a percussion mechanism – 10 years before oil was drilled for in US. Azerbaijan, the first drilled oil well in the world.

Ongoing industrialization on the demand and improved technology on the supply side lead to the first oil boom in Azerbaijan, mainly in Baku, the capital. It is the period, where the European-style part of the city around the Old City was established – with magnificent buildings for the rich oil barons, among them the Nobel brothers. The Nobel brothers build the first oil tanker of the world and the Caspian Sea had a notable fleet of oil vessels.
Begin of the 20th century Azerbaijan was the world’s biggest oil producer. With the decline of the Russian Empire, the Revolution and Soviet rule, the golden era came to an end and oil production in Azerbaijan declined. However, Baku’s oil was the target of Hitler during WWII and the reason for the fierce battle for Stalingrad – Stalingrad was the last hurdle to take to get towards Baku. Germany had only coal and Baku’s oil was essential to win the war.

Oil production is now mainly offshore in the Caspian Sea with Oil Rocks, a city in itself in the Caspian Sea the first operating offshore oil platform in the world. Oil production has still its imprint on daily life on the Absheron peninsula with pump jacks meeting laundry.

In the recent history of the newly independent Azerbaijan oil is still playing an important role. It started with the contract of the century and continues until today. The last years saw an amazing rise of Azerbaijan and its capital, spurred by billions of oil money, and saw three months ago the dramatic devaluation of the Manat by 33 percent within a day with the decreasing oil price.

This post can not do justice to the long history of oil in Azerbaijan. For further reading I list some of the sources, which I used. They have old photos, which alone are to worth to look at.

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