Chronicles of the Russia’s Gas Supply Industry

1811
A talented Russian inventor Petr Sobolevsky creates and tests the first domestic facility for artificial gas extraction called “thermolamp”.

P.G. Sobolevsky makes a report on the invention of the “thermolamp” in Saint-Petersburg at the meeting of the All-Russian Society of Literature, Science and Arts Devotees.

1812
By the decree of Emperor Alexander I the titular counsellor P.G. Sobolevsky was granted with the St. Vladimir’s Order of the 4th class “for works he contributed in invention of the thermolamp, which never existed in Russia before”.

1816
P.G. Sobolevsky successfully applied “thermolamp” for lighting the workshops at Pozhevsk factory (the Perm governorate).

1819
First gas street lantern was lighted at Aptekar island in Saint-Petersburg.

1835
Approval of the Charter of the first Russian joint-stock gas company “Society of lighting Saint-Petersburg with gas”.

The first gas plant was built in Saint-Petersburg in the area of the Obvodnoy Channel and the works on organization of the central gas lighting and the development of necessary municipal infrastructure started.

1848
First gas lanterns were installed on the Palace square and the Armenian bazaar of the main administrative center of Transcaucasia — Tiflis.

1850
Gas lighting in Odessa.

1859
Establishment of Joint Stock Company “Partnership of portable, compressed gas” in Moscow.

1863
Mini gas plant was built to provide lighting to Bolshoi and Maly Emperor Theaters.

1864
Conduction of the first biddings for construction of the street gas lighting system.
Winner of the bidding — “Bouke and Company”.

1865
The first plant for production of illuminating gas was built in Moscow.

1868
310 gas plants operate in Russia.

1874
The gas plant of industrialist Bashmakov was built in Kazan.

1881
“Partnership of oil and gas lighting ”Svetozar” was established in Saint-Petersburg.

1896
Establishment of “Gaz & Electricite de la Ville de Kazan” Joint-Stock Company for lighting of Kazan city.

1906
A raw hydrocarbon deposit was discovered 40 km to the north from Dergachi village.

1910
886 towns had street lighting, 74 towns had electric lighting and 35 towns had gas lighting out of 1082 towns of the Russian Empire. Many towns combined various types of lighting.

New high pressure gas lanterns were first applied for lighting Bolshaya Lubyanka and Sretenka.

1911
Establishment of the first Russian company operating in natural gas recovery and consumption called “Stavropol partnership of deposits research and operation”.

1913
Approval of the Charter of the Joint-Stock Company “ROMERGAZ” (Saint-Petersburg).

1924
Establishment of the Helium Committee. Beginning of the planned search of gas deposits throughout the country.

1927
Establishment of “Stroigaz” Enterprise and “Gelierazvedka” organization department in Leningrad.

1930
The first All-USSR conference concerning gas issues was held. That conference determined the lines of the basic principles of the gas industry strategy.

1931
Putting into operation of the “Neftegaz” plant in Moscow.

Establishment of “Soyuzgaz” State Natural Gas Utilization Trust of the Supreme Council of National Economy of USSR as a result of “Stroigaz” reorganization.

1933
Gas and Artificial Liquid Fuel Industry Council (Glavgas) was established upon the decree of the People’s Commissariat of Heavy Industry.

1940
The People’s Commissariat of Oil Industry conducts the oil output.

1941
The well N 1 was sunk on Elshanskaya square.

1942
Beginning of the commercial production of “Sedelskoye”, the first gas pool of Komi ASSR.

Industrial enterprises, residential houses, canteens and medical facilities of the capital city were supplied with high- calorific gas from “Neftegaz” plant N 1, combined with low-calorific gas from the Mossovet Moscow Gas Plant.

The “Neftegaz” N 2 plant had a daily output of 400 thousand cubic meters.

Beginning of construction of the gas pipeline Elshanka — Saratovskaya Power Plant.

1943
USSR put into operation the first gas main pipeline “Buguruslan-Pohvistnevo-Kuibishev”.

USSR approved the resolution to build the first long-range gas pipeline.

Establishment of the Gas Industry and Artificial Liquid Fuel Senior Department under the Council of People's Commissars of USSR (Glavgaztopprom).

1944
Establishment of the Saratov-Moscow Gas Pipeline Construction D.

1945
The Voivozh-Ukhta gas pipeline was put into operation.

1946
Execution of the test run of the Saratov-Moscow gas pipeline.

1947
The Saratov-Moscow gas main pipeline was put into permanent operation.

1948
Glavneftegaz was established as a division of the Ministry of Oil Industry .

1950
Beginning of the gas “revolution” which fundamentally changed the energy balance within the country.

Discovery of Severo-Stavropolsko-Peladzhinskoye gas deposit containing rich reserves.

Exploration of a large gas deposit - Shebelinskoye - in Ukraine.

Exploration of the Severno-Stavropolsko-Pelagnadinskoye gas deposit in Stavropol.

1960
Under the Decree of the Council of National Economy of Komi, Krutyansky and Izhemsky plants were merged together under the name of Ukhtinsky gas processing plant.

1960–1970
The beginning of the global history of the Russian gas. The “Gas-pipes” agreement initiated the new gas era in the global economy.

1962–1970
20 gas deposits were discovered in the northern part of Tyumen with total reserves equal to several trillion cubic meters.

1965
Establishment of the Ministry of Gas industry of USSR.

1966
The natural gas from the Siberian deposit “Urengoi” was transferred to the capital city of the Soviet Union and other cities of the country.

1971
The beginning of the infrastructure development of the Medvezhie deposit in Ural.

1988
Discovery of the Shtokmanovskoye gas-condensate deposit.

1989
The Ministry of Gas Industry of USSR was reorganized into the State Gas Concern “Gazprom”.

1992
Ratification of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on “Reorganization of the State Gas Concern “Gazprom” into Russian Joint-Stock Company “Gazprom”.

1993
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on “Establishment of Russian Joint-Stock Company “Gazprom”.

1996
The primary sections of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline on the territory of Poland and Germany with the total length of 117,2 km were put into operation.

The Zapadno-Tarkosalinskoye natural gas deposit in Western Siberia was put into operation.

1997
Conclusion of the intergovernmental agreement on supply of Russian gas to Turkey through the bottom gas pipeline in the Black Sea.

2001
Establishment of the Russian Gas Association.

2002
March — construction of the first line of the “Blue Stream” gas pipeline completed.

June — construction of the second line of the deep-water section of the “Blue Stream” gas pipeline completed.

November — approval of the resolution to start the project of Northern-European gas pipeline at the meeting held by OJSC “Gazprom"

December — the commissioning and start-up complex of the Russia-Turkey gas pipeline (“Blue Stream”) was put into operation.

2003
The “Energy strategy of Russia up to 2020” was approved by the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation.

2005
“Gazprom” supplied abroad liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time.

Ratification of the principle agreement on construction of the “Nord Stream” gas pipeline .

ВOperation of the Yamal-Europe pipeline at full estimated capacity (33 billion cubic meters).

2006
Approval of strategic resolution to begin the exploration of deposits on the Yamal peninsula. “Gazprom” joined the “Sakhalin-2” project.

2007
The Yuzhno-Russkoye deposit was put into operation. The project was an example of the effective Russian and German partnership aimed at the provision of sustainable energy security of Europe.

“Gazprom” and Italian concern ENI signed the Memorandum of Understanding and Realization of the “South Stream” Project.

The Government of the Russian Federation approved the “Program for the Development of the Unified System of Gas Exploration, Transportation and Distribution in the Eastern Siberia and the Far East”.

Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed the trilateral agreement on “Cooperation and Construction of the Caspian Coastal Pipeline”.

2011
Planned start-up of the “Nord Stream” gas pipeline.

“Finansovye Izvestiya”, 20.02.2008

Russian Site map
MOSGAZ Gas Emergency Service of Moscow city
MOSGAZ today For Clients Gas facilities Contact information
The History of the Gas Facilities in Moscow Chronicles of the Russia’s Gas Supply Industry Gas Facility Museum Moscow Gas Lighting Contract of 1865 Contact information Address: P.O. Box 105120 Moscow, Mruzovsky lane, 11 Call-center: +7 495 660-60-80 Hotline: +7 495 660-20-02 Reception Fax: +7 495 917-83-35 Working hours: Mon-Thurs from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Fri from 8:00 am to 3:45 pm Site develop:	The beginning of the history People first discovered gas more than 2thousand years ago. Gas leaking out of the ground had often caught on fire during lightings. Humans did not have any explanation when earth and air were blazing with fire and attributed this phenomenon to divine intervention. Fire procured light and warmth and protected humans from wild animals. This was how the cult of fire was born. The cult of fire evolved in India, China, Persia, Caucasus and other parts of the world. Chronicles of the Russia’s Gas Supply Industry 1811 A talented Russian inventor Petr Sobolevsky creates and tests the first domestic facility for artificial gas extraction called “thermolamp”. P.G. Sobolevsky makes a report on the invention of the “thermolamp” in Saint-Petersburg at the meeting of the All-Russian Society of Literature, Science and Arts Devotees. 1812 By the decree of Emperor Alexander I the titular counsellor P.G. Sobolevsky was granted with the St. Vladimir’s Order of the 4th class “for works he contributed in invention of the thermolamp, which never existed in Russia before”. 1816 P.G. Sobolevsky successfully applied “thermolamp” for lighting the workshops at Pozhevsk factory (the Perm governorate). 1819 First gas street lantern was lighted at Aptekar island in Saint-Petersburg. 1835 Approval of the Charter of the first Russian joint-stock gas company “Society of lighting Saint-Petersburg with gas”. The first gas plant was built in Saint-Petersburg in the area of the Obvodnoy Channel and the works on organization of the central gas lighting and the development of necessary municipal infrastructure started. 1848 First gas lanterns were installed on the Palace square and the Armenian bazaar of the main administrative center of Transcaucasia — Tiflis. 1850 Gas lighting in Odessa. 1859 Establishment of Joint Stock Company “Partnership of portable, compressed gas” in Moscow. 1863 Mini gas plant was built to provide lighting to Bolshoi and Maly Emperor Theaters. 1864 Conduction of the first biddings for construction of the street gas lighting system. Winner of the bidding — “Bouke and Company”. 1865 The first plant for production of illuminating gas was built in Moscow. 1868 310 gas plants operate in Russia. 1874 The gas plant of industrialist Bashmakov was built in Kazan. 1881 “Partnership of oil and gas lighting ”Svetozar” was established in Saint-Petersburg. 1896 Establishment of “Gaz & Electricite de la Ville de Kazan” Joint-Stock Company for lighting of Kazan city. 1906 A raw hydrocarbon deposit was discovered 40 km to the north from Dergachi village. 1910 886 towns had street lighting, 74 towns had electric lighting and 35 towns had gas lighting out of 1082 towns of the Russian Empire. Many towns combined various types of lighting. New high pressure gas lanterns were first applied for lighting Bolshaya Lubyanka and Sretenka. 1911 Establishment of the first Russian company operating in natural gas recovery and consumption called “Stavropol partnership of deposits research and operation”. 1913 Approval of the Charter of the Joint-Stock Company “ROMERGAZ” (Saint-Petersburg). 1924 Establishment of the Helium Committee. Beginning of the planned search of gas deposits throughout the country. 1927 Establishment of “Stroigaz” Enterprise and “Gelierazvedka” organization department in Leningrad. 1930 The first All-USSR conference concerning gas issues was held. That conference determined the lines of the basic principles of the gas industry strategy. 1931 Putting into operation of the “Neftegaz” plant in Moscow. Establishment of “Soyuzgaz” State Natural Gas Utilization Trust of the Supreme Council of National Economy of USSR as a result of “Stroigaz” reorganization. 1933 Gas and Artificial Liquid Fuel Industry Council (Glavgas) was established upon the decree of the People’s Commissariat of Heavy Industry. 1940 The People’s Commissariat of Oil Industry conducts the oil output. 1941 The well N 1 was sunk on Elshanskaya square. 1942 Beginning of the commercial production of “Sedelskoye”, the first gas pool of Komi ASSR. Industrial enterprises, residential houses, canteens and medical facilities of the capital city were supplied with high- calorific gas from “Neftegaz” plant N 1, combined with low-calorific gas from the Mossovet Moscow Gas Plant. The “Neftegaz” N 2 plant had a daily output of 400 thousand cubic meters. Beginning of construction of the gas pipeline Elshanka — Saratovskaya Power Plant. 1943 USSR put into operation the first gas main pipeline “Buguruslan-Pohvistnevo-Kuibishev”. USSR approved the resolution to build the first long-range gas pipeline. Establishment of the Gas Industry and Artificial Liquid Fuel Senior Department under the Council of People's Commissars of USSR (Glavgaztopprom). 1944 Establishment of the Saratov-Moscow Gas Pipeline Construction D. 1945 The Voivozh-Ukhta gas pipeline was put into operation. 1946 Execution of the test run of the Saratov-Moscow gas pipeline. 1947 The Saratov-Moscow gas main pipeline was put into permanent operation. 1948 Glavneftegaz was established as a division of the Ministry of Oil Industry . 1950 Beginning of the gas “revolution” which fundamentally changed the energy balance within the country. Discovery of Severo-Stavropolsko-Peladzhinskoye gas deposit containing rich reserves. Exploration of a large gas deposit - Shebelinskoye - in Ukraine. Exploration of the Severno-Stavropolsko-Pelagnadinskoye gas deposit in Stavropol. 1960 Under the Decree of the Council of National Economy of Komi, Krutyansky and Izhemsky plants were merged together under the name of Ukhtinsky gas processing plant. 1960–1970 The beginning of the global history of the Russian gas. The “Gas-pipes” agreement initiated the new gas era in the global economy. 1962–1970 20 gas deposits were discovered in the northern part of Tyumen with total reserves equal to several trillion cubic meters. 1965 Establishment of the Ministry of Gas industry of USSR. 1966 The natural gas from the Siberian deposit “Urengoi” was transferred to the capital city of the Soviet Union and other cities of the country. 1971 The beginning of the infrastructure development of the Medvezhie deposit in Ural. 1988 Discovery of the Shtokmanovskoye gas-condensate deposit. 1989 The Ministry of Gas Industry of USSR was reorganized into the State Gas Concern “Gazprom”. 1992 Ratification of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on “Reorganization of the State Gas Concern “Gazprom” into Russian Joint-Stock Company “Gazprom”. 1993 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on “Establishment of Russian Joint-Stock Company “Gazprom”. 1996 The primary sections of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline on the territory of Poland and Germany with the total length of 117,2 km were put into operation. The Zapadno-Tarkosalinskoye natural gas deposit in Western Siberia was put into operation. 1997 Conclusion of the intergovernmental agreement on supply of Russian gas to Turkey through the bottom gas pipeline in the Black Sea. 2001 Establishment of the Russian Gas Association. 2002 March — construction of the first line of the “Blue Stream” gas pipeline completed. June — construction of the second line of the deep-water section of the “Blue Stream” gas pipeline completed. November — approval of the resolution to start the project of Northern-European gas pipeline at the meeting held by OJSC “Gazprom" December — the commissioning and start-up complex of the Russia-Turkey gas pipeline (“Blue Stream”) was put into operation. 2003 The “Energy strategy of Russia up to 2020” was approved by the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. 2005 “Gazprom” supplied abroad liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time. Ratification of the principle agreement on construction of the “Nord Stream” gas pipeline . ВOperation of the Yamal-Europe pipeline at full estimated capacity (33 billion cubic meters). 2006 Approval of strategic resolution to begin the exploration of deposits on the Yamal peninsula. “Gazprom” joined the “Sakhalin-2” project. 2007 The Yuzhno-Russkoye deposit was put into operation. The project was an example of the effective Russian and German partnership aimed at the provision of sustainable energy security of Europe. “Gazprom” and Italian concern ENI signed the Memorandum of Understanding and Realization of the “South Stream” Project. The Government of the Russian Federation approved the “Program for the Development of the Unified System of Gas Exploration, Transportation and Distribution in the Eastern Siberia and the Far East”. Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed the trilateral agreement on “Cooperation and Construction of the Caspian Coastal Pipeline”. 2011 Planned start-up of the “Nord Stream” gas pipeline. “Finansovye Izvestiya”, 20.02.2008
Site develop — Upriver studio	© 2007–2011. SUE «MOSGAZ». When citing material found on a website, you should identify the authorship of the website.