Oil: Siberia on the international scene

Siberian people can’t imagine their region without oil because of its importance in world economy. Though Siberian steel, aluminium, timber and coal comprise an essential part of world’s output, oil and gas attract the greatest attention. The “Arctic El Dorado”, “The Oil Klondike” and many other names were given Siberia when its rich oil and gas deposits were discovered.

The importance of Siberian oil and gas deposits increases greatly if we consider the fact that the discoveries took place at the time when many oil and gas reservoirs in the New and Old Worlds had become greatly depleted. Thus far, there are no substitutes for this raw material and, according to experts, they are not expected to appear in the foreseeable future.

At the time of high demand for oil Siberia made its first claim as a supplier of this raw material and fuel. The colossal oil deposit development in Siberia, however, is important not only for the world oil market: oil provides another powerful impetus for the swift progress of Siberia itself. It also serves as raw material for large petrochemical combines in Novosibirsk, Tobolsk, Omsk and other industrial centres of the West Siberian economic area. Several gigantic petrochemical enterprises are based on this oil.

The construction of oil mains also served the Siberian industrial progress. The first section of Aleksandrovskoye-Anzhero-Sudzhensk oil mains was put into operations some decades ago. 800 km of pipes, 122 cm in diameter, the largest in world practice, have helped the convey millions and millions tons of Siberian oil farther eastward and brought it closer to the consumption centres.

The discovery of Siberian oil simplified the development of a number of districts, including the Trans-Urals, Extreme North and Far East, where oil spurred the copper deposit development, diamonds, gold, iron ore and a large number of other minerals. Prospects have opened up for the rapid development of petrochemistry.

Oil export started way back in 1921. It flew through the “Druzhba” oil mains and gas flew along the “Bratstvo” gas mains satisfying the bulk of demands for these materials in most countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. The next prospect issuing from Siberian discoveries was that of supplying oil and gas from Tyumen and Yakutia to capitalist countries of Europe and Asia. But it caused the problem of peaceful coexistence between the countries. The former USSR was known to seek to establish long-term economic cooperation with capitalist countries, employing a system of transactions when raw materials or industrial goods were paid for supplies of heavy machinery on a long –term basis. Another important aspect was material change in the balance of power between oil importers and exporters. For a long time capitalist oil buyers dealt with some developing countries. It is not much of a secret that in dealing with such partners, oil monopolies often resorted to ungentlemanly methods. Blackmail, bribery, blockade and even direct force-everything was resorted to by oil merchants to fight the real oil owners.

Nowadays the picture has changed. Russia entered the world oil market as a supplier and doesn’t tolerate blackmail. Its complete independence in choosing partners and terms stimulates other exporting countries to build their relations on the same level. For many years demand on the oil market is likely to exceed supply. Therefore there is no competition among oil exporters, nor it is expected. And Tyumen region is still the leading oil and gas exporter on the international scene.

Resume of the text “Oil: Siberia on the international scene”

The text “Oil: Siberia on the international scene” is about the important role of Siberian oil in the international relations. First of all the author underlines the fact that Siberian oil attracts the greatest attention though steel, aluminum, timber and coal comprise an essential part of world’s output. According to experts, there are no substitutes for this raw material and there are not still expected in the nearest future. Now it is well-known fact that Siberian oil deposits serve not only Siberia itself and Russian petrochemical combines, and also the world’s oil market in general. Then the author gives us some facts about the history of Siberian industrial progress. He describes the first oil mains, put into operation some decades ago. It brought Siberian oil eastward and closer to the consumption centres. It is necessary to note that the oil discovery simplified the development of copper, diamonds, gold, iron ore deposits in such districts as Trans-Urals, Extreme North and Far East. Later on we are notified about the first oil and gas export. It started in 1921 and supplied oil and gas from Siberia to capitalist countries Of Europe and Asia through the “Druzhba” oil mains and the “Bratstvo” gas mains. But as we see from the text it caused problems in peaceful coexistence between the countries: capitalist oil buyers often resorted to ungentlemanly methods( blackmail, bribery) the former USSR never used to. However, the picture has changed nowadays. And in conclusion it is said that Tyumen region is still the leading oil and gas exporter on the international scene.

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