Gas industry of the country was born in Saratov
Saratov. The Industrial Forum, held in Saratov in August 24-26, hosted thematic meeting “Saratov as a birthplace of gas industry of Russia”. Top officials from the Regional Ministry of Industry and Energy, veterans of the industry, representatives of the enterprises, as well as young geologists took part in the event.
The meeting participants talked about the first exploration well at Elshanskoye field that was drilled in April of 1941. On October 28, in very trying times for the country, when the Nazis were eager to conquer Moscow, the free-flowing stream of gas from a 500 m depth was obtained. Precisely one year later, in autumn of 1942, the first gas pipeline connected the field and SarGRES - Saratov power station, which supplied power to dozens of defense plants and factories, evacuated to frontline Saratov. In the spring of 1945, the construction of Saratov-Moscow gas trunkline, the first in the national history, started. And as early as 1946, the first industrial gas was supplied to Moscow.
The veteran of Saratovneftegaz Ivan Polshakov has narrated that after that big construction 7 people had been awarded with State Prizes and 150 - with state decorations. In total, in successive years more than 300 industry workers received state decorations.
“The acquired experience eventually enabled construction of the gas pipeline from Saratov to 26 cities, to the areas where the most rapid industrial development had been observed”, - added Ivan Sergeevich.