THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE OIL, GAS, AND CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN THE QASHQADARYO REGION DURING THE 1970s–1990s

Аннотация

This article focuses on the condition of the oil and gas industry in Uzbekistan and the issues surrounding its development and study. It analyzes the processes through which Uzbekistanbecame oneofthe Union's key centers in theoil andgas sector. Keywords: Oil, gas, World War II, Sho‘rtepa, Sho‘rchi, Karim, Kho‘jaxayron, Qorakhitoy, Southern Muborak, Northern Muborak. Even in the post–World War II period, the harsh consequences of the war were evident in all spheres of life in the republic, including industry. There was an acute need for electricity, fuel, and skilled engineering and technical personnel to restore industry in Uzbekistan and ensure the supply of industrial and food products to the population. Solving these complex issues required the development of clear programs for the growth of the national economy, taking into account Uzbekistan’s geographical position, national traditions, and the interests of its people. However, this did not happen. Instead, recovery and development plans for Uzbekistan’seconomy were drawn upin accordance with theinterests ofthecentral authorities. In the center’s plans, Uzbekistan was seen merely as a peripheral region for supplying raw materials. This approach led to a one-sided development of the economy, with very few raw material processing enterprises, which in turn hindered the implementation of social programs. Uzbekistan’s gas industry began to take shape as an independent sector in the late 1950sand early 1960s. As a result, the mineral resources of the Samarkand–Qarshi economic region served not only the interests of the republic, but also of the entire country. In the southwestern part of the republic, particularly in the Qashqadaryo region, a number of natural gas fields were discovered, and systems for their exploitation were established. Consequently, Uzbekistan gradually became a major fuel base of the Union. At the same time, geological exploration activities intensified, and by the late 1950s and early 1960s, new oil and gas drilling sites were established in several areas ofthe Qarshi–Muborak steppes. Several oil and gas fields such as "Sho‘rtepa," "Sho‘rchi," "Karim," "Kho‘jaxayron," "Qorakhitoy," "Southern Muborak," and "Northern Muborak" were discovered. Among them, the Southern Muborak and Northern Muborak fields, discovered in 1958 and containing reserves of 65 billion cubic meters of gas, were among the largest. In 1962, the Hisoroldi Expedition of the "Qarshineftegazrazvedka" trust discovered the Odamtosh field, which confirmed the assumptions about abundant oil and gas reserves in the southwestern ridges of theHisorMountains. In 1968,theGumbuloq field was also discovered in thesamedistrict. page2030 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue05,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai In 1969, the implementation of rationalization and invention proposals within the "Qarshineftegazrazvedka" trust yielded an economic gain of 1.2 million rubles1. In 1970, the five-year plan for natural gas reserve exploration by the "Qarshineftegazrazvedka" trust was fulfilled by 102%, while the target for increasing oil reserves was achieved by 109.7%. In addition, the presence of oil and gas was confirmed in 7 fields, 3 fields were commissioned for production, and 1field was prepared fordrilling2. In August 1972, the Qashqadaryo Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan reviewed and approved the comprehensive plan for the socio-economic and technical development of the “Qarshineftegazrazvedka” trust during the Ninth Five-Year Plan. Based on this decision, the implementation of both short-term and long-term operational plans was recommended. In 1974, the “Uzbekneftegazrazvedka” association was established in the city of Qarshi on the basis of the “Qarshineftegazrazvedka,” “Bukharaoilgasrazvedka,” “Uzbekneftegeofizika” trusts and the Karakalpak deep drilling expedition. The association also incorporated geophysical teams, the Bukhara repair and mechanical plant, and research teams from theInstitutefor Oiland Gas Field Exploration. As aresult, exploration andreconnaissance activities inUzbekistan significantly accelerated. On January 1, 1964, the "Muborak" oil and gas extraction site was established on the basis of the Sho‘rtepa field near the Muborak railway station. It was located in part of the buildings belonging to the "Eastern Oil and Gas Exploration" enterprise, which had been opened between 1957 and 1959, and was organized under the “Kogonneftegaz” administration. In the same year, the first five oil and gas wells in the Sho‘rtepa field were launched. The followingyear, 10to12wells were put into operation. In 1966, gas was first extracted from the "Southern Muborak" field, and several wells were drilled in the "Northern Muborak" field, which were brought to readiness for production. Due to the large reserves found in these fields,