Nobel Brothers' History In Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is one of the world's oldest oil producers and the city of Baku and the Absheron Peninsula have long been known as historic sites for oil.

After the industrial reversal of works in the oil fields in Baku in the 70s of the last century, more than a dozen foreign firms turned their attention to the richest oil region. The first foreign company in Baku was founded by the Nobel brothers - Alfred, Ludvig and Robert. Few people know about the deep connection of the Nobel Prizes with Baku's oil. 12 percent of the prize was said to be from Alfred's shares in the Nobel Brothers' Petroleum Company in Baku. In the mid-70s of the last century, the Partnership "Nobel Brothers" acquired several oil related areas and a small kerosene plant in Baku. In a short time, the Nobel Brothers owned oil wells in Surakhani, Balakhany and Bibi-Heybat. Having rented land in the Black city, they built bridges for oil refinery, sulfuric acid, copper smelting, cast iron plants and ships. The Nobel Brothers' capital hit 3 million rubles when they celebrated the venture's 5th anniversary.

One of the brothers Ludwig Nobel, a talented engineer who had a great experience on modern organization of industrial production, moved to Baku in the autumn of 1876. He was in high spirits engaged in the oil field reconstruction. In 1882, Ludvig invited more technical staff to Baku from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Germany, and founded a colony that he called Villa Petrolea, located in what was at that period called, and still is - the "Black City" district of Baku. Oil products from their venture were distributed all over Russia by train and by ship to Central Asia and Europe. The logo of the Nobel Brothers' Partnership depicted the Surakhani Fire-worshippers' Temple, with its flames fueled by gas from the oilfield nearby. It should be noted that the Nobels' ships took on names of various religious and philosophical personalities - Zoroaster, Mohammad, Buddha, Brahma, Socrates, Spinoza and Darwin. Religious ceremonies took place within the Nobels' Factory Compound. Sometimes they would go on for days and the workers were free from work. Various religions were acknowledged, their traditions respected.

Due to the richest oil reserves of Absheron, their wealth grew, and by the end of the century the Nobel Brothers Partnership had reached the maximum share in Russian exports, and oil production in the corporation's fields accounted for 9 percent of world output.

The Nobels built...