On May 24, an international scientific-practical conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, “Heydar Aliyev and Azerbaijan Oil Strategy: Advances in oil and gas geology and geotechnologies”, was organized by the Institute of Oil and Gas of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

   

 At the opening ceremony held at the “Holiday Inn Baku” hotel, the President of ANAS, academician Isa Habibbeyli, members of the Presidium of ANAS, general directors and employees of a number of scientific institutions under the Ministry of Science and Education, deputies of the Milli Majlis, representatives of SOCAR, Turkey, Georgia, scientists from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistanl, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and other countries participated.

 First, the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was played.

 

Academician Fakhraddin Gadirov, general director of the Oil and Gas Institute, who gave an introductory speech at the event, said that the oil strategy of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev consisted of several stages, in the initial stage, that is, geological exploration and drilling in the Caspian since 1969, when the Great Leader began to lead our country.  He said that as a result of his work, rich oil deposits located at depths such as Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli were discovered.  He noted that the Great Leader knew that the work done at this stage would form the basis of independent Azerbaijan’s economy in the future, and he was taking steps accordingly.

Academician Fakhraddin Gadirov said that prominent statesman Heydar Aliyev faced many difficulties while implementing the oil strategy in the first years of independence, and said that the breaking of economic relations with the countries of the former Soviet Union, the crisis in the country and the lack of investment were the main problems in those years.

He pointed out that the National Leader invited foreign oil companies to our country based on the motto “Oil is the national wealth of Azerbaijan”, and a new oil strategy was developed.  According to the academician, Ilham Aliyev, who was the first vice-president of SOCAR at that time, was one of the most active participants in the preparation and successful implementation of the new oil strategy.