A Tour Of Russian Oil Field Technology
Authors: Rowley John C. , Watkins J. Wade 
Published: December 2007

As part of U.S.-U.S.S.R. efforts to define potential areas for cooperative projects in energy research potential areas for cooperative projects in energy research and development, oil experts from the U.S. and the Soviet Union exchanged visits. An overview of some aspects of Soviet oil field technology that was gained pects of Soviet oil field technology that was gained from a tour of major administrative and technical institutes and three major oil centers in Western Siberia, Baskiria, and Tataria is presented. This paper presents the highlights of the tour, comments on Soviet presents the highlights of the tour, comments on Soviet drilling technology, compares U.S. and Soviet drilling equipment and practices, and recommends areas for cooperative projects in oil technology.

Introduction

About two years ago exchange tours were arranged by the American and Soviet governments to attempt to define potential areas of research and development in oil technology which might be of mutual interest for cooperative projects. This exchange of visits and discussions by oil experts from the two countries was part of a larger effort under the 1974 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Energy Agreement, and was one element of many in our Nation's contribution to "detente." The Soviet members of the "Temporary Group of Oil Experts" were hosted in their visit to the U.S. by ERDA and several major oil companies; the U.S. members were hosted on the visit to the Soviet Union by the Ministry of the Oil Industry. This organization directs all Soviet exploration, development, production, and distribution efforts, although production planning is centered in GOSPLAN.

We requested, and received, a tour which included a representative sample of Soviet petroleum engineering colleges, centralized (" all union") research institutes and facilities, administrative centers, regional R and D centers, support institutes, older operating oil fields and new fields under development (in Western Siberia), operating drill rigs of various capabilities, separation plants, repair and maintenance shops, and the personnel involved in the Soviet oil "industry". personnel involved in the Soviet oil "industry". This paper presents the highlights of that tour and focuses especially on examples of Soviet drilling hardware and related technology. Such an emphasis serves to indicate fairly concretely the nature, status, problems, and successes of the Soviet thrust to develop their vast energy resources. Demands on the Soviet's oil production are rapidly increasing, especially from their expanding highway transportation network, commitments to Eastern Europe, and expansion of energy-intensive industries. This pressure is being felt in all elements of the Soviet oil production activities, particularly drilling.

MOSCOW

After a one-day stopover in Amsterdam to organize and brief the U.S. group and especially to provide our interpreter with the technical vocabulary and terminology likely to be used, we arrived in Moscow and immediately experienced the splendid hospitality and very effective organizational capabilitities of the Soviet Oil Ministry. The members of the "Temporary Group of U.S.S.R.-U.S. Oil Experts" met to renew previous acquaintances made during the Soviets' visit to previous acquaintances made during the Soviets' visit to the U.S., to learn of the organization of the Soviet' Oil Industry, and to review the itinerary for the tour (Figure 1) of the Soviet Union's oil technology.

The administrative and operational aspects of exploration, development, production, and research and development in the various Soviet oil fields are apparently organized along similar lines. A simplified diagram of this set-up is illustrated in Figure 2. The tour was to cover three of the largest oil producing regions and the oil centers, towns and fields in these districts as indicated in Table 1. As shown, there exists in each element and level of the organization a drilling office or department.

Our day in Moscow concluded with a visit to the All-Union Scientific Research Institute for Drilling Technology (VNIIBT). This institute, called the "Temple of Russian Drilling Technology," had recently had its goals dramatically shifted from concentration on research in advanced methods (some thirty projects), to the objective of improving current drilling equipment and practices.