OREANDA-NEWS. August 24, 2015. The festivities dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the NGDU "Leninogorskneft" and the 60th anniversary of the Leninogorsk city were attended by Rustam Minnikhanov, Acting President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kirill Molodtsov, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Farid Mukhametshin, State Council Chairman of the Republic of Tatarstan, Nail Maganov, General Director of PJSC TATNEFT, Shafagat Takhautdinov, Assistant to President of the Republic of Tatarstan on the oil industry issues, Ryagat Khusainov, Head of the Leninogorsk Municipal District, heads of the TATNEFT Group of Companies, employees of NGDU "Leninogorskneft" and veterans of the division.

The program of the anniversary celebrations began with a visit to well No.1 near the village Shugurovo and it was from here that a commercial scale development of oil fields in the Republic began. This well today produces 1.5 tons of oil per day.

Congratulating the veterans, Rustam Minnikhanov emphasized that the discovery of oil 70 years ago had completely changed the fate of Tatarstan. "This well produced the first oil in the most difficult years of the war. Thus, we   acquired the strength and   hope for a brighter future. We should always remember this and cherish our history, "- he said addressing the inhabitants of the village.

The same day witnessed opening of the museum complex at the site of the Shugurovsky petroleum bituminous factory, built as early as in 1877. In 1941, the factory operated directly for the country's defense, manufacturing products for batteries of military equipment. After 2 years the factory began receiving oil for process and power plants, and later as a raw material. In subsequent years, the factory produced a wide range of road bitumen, fuel oil, blown asphaltic bitumen for pipe insulation, solvents, fuel oil residue, etc.  In 2009, the factory was mothballed due to its poor technical condition, and it was decided to liquidate the factory in 2013.

To preserve the historical memory the management of PJSC TATNEFT decided to set up a whole museum complex at the site of this factory. As a result, the main facilities of the factory were dismantled and the museum complex was established at Shugurovo driftways, which includes a mine, foundry, shop of bitumen smelting from oil and a large dummy of main production lines. All the furnishings and exhibits of the museum complex convey the atmosphere of the time and help to immerse themselves in history.

Nail Maganov said in his speech at the museum opening ceremony that the establishment of the museum complex at the site of the Shugurovsky petroleum bituminous factory is a conspicuous indication that the people in our Republic care with respect to their past. The Shugurovsky factory, built in the nineteenth century, is of great historical value in the first place, as evidence of the first attempts to build works in these places based on using locally produced raw materials. In fact, it can be boldly considered a progenitor of the Tatarstan oil refining. The General Director of PJSC TATNEFT thanked the leadership of the Republic for supporting the project, the veterans and staff of NGDU "Leninogorskneft" and all the museology professionals for active participation in the establishment of the museum complex.

The events of the anniversary day were completed with a solemn meeting during which the veterans and employees of the "Leninogorskneft" Oil and Gas Production Division who had made a significant contribution to the development of the oil industry  were honored with Russian state, Republican and corporate awards.

The team of the Oil and Gas Production Division was awarded Acknowledgment of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.
As part of the anniversary celebrations there were a number of social facilities opened in Leninogorsk district, which construction and reconstruction had been made with financial support rendered to the city and the area by TATNEFT Company. Inter alia, they Include the new Wedding Palace, set of ponds and parks cascade created for recreation of the city inhabitants, as well as reconstructed and a complete overhauled Culture House and a sports complex "Youth".

Reference Information
 NGDU "Leninogorskneft" has come to the remarkable date with significant performance results having unique experience, practicing innovative approach in crude oil production and demonstrating high professionalism. The Leninogorsk oilmen had produced about 650 million tons of "black gold" by the Anniversary Date, which accounted for one-fifth of all the total crude oil produced in Tatarstan.  Today, despite the reserves high depletion, the Division remains one of the leaders among the Company's producers by the operating performance indicators. The Leninogorsk oilmen are initiators of establishing and implementing intelligent self-regulating wells, which allow   significantly reducing the water cut in the liquid produced.
"Leninogorskneft"  has got the highest ratio of associated petroleum gas utilization in TATNEFT amounting to 97%.
The Division continues its development  facing a lot of problems ahead to be solved. Primarily, these are cost-effective production of conventional oil and development of bitumen reserves.