BATUMI -THE WORLD’S IMPORTANT CENTER FOR OIL EXPORT (END OF THE 19TH CENTURY – BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY)

Abstract

As a result of the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877-1878, Russia further expanded its possessions in the Caucasus. Adjara was transferred to Russia along with Batumi by the Berlin Congress's decision. Batumi was given the status of a free port of trade. At that time, Batumi was a small city with a small population. However, it had a magnificent natural bay, which in the future became a determining factor in the development of Batumi. Batumi's convenient transit location soon attracted the attention of famous industrialists - the Nobels and Rothschilds. Batumi became the main center of Baku's oil export, which required an effective solution to the transportation issue - constructing the Baku-Batumi railway line and constructing a high-capacity port in Batumi. In 1883, Batumi was connected to Baku by railway, and in 1885, the construction of the Batumi port was completed, which had a separate berth for the transshipment of oil products.

Since the 1880s, Russia has become the largest exporter of oil in the world. At that time, there were two types of oil export: tanker (by container) and tanker (by tanker). The main type of oil export from Batumi was determined from the very beginning as the container form, which in turn led to the establishment of tar manufacturing enterprises. The first tar manufacturing enterprise in Batumi was founded by engineers Bunge and Palashkovsky in 1883. Later, factories of the Nobels, Rothschilds, Sideridis and Richners, Sachaturians, Mantashevs, the Tsovyanov brothers, and others were put into operation in Batumi.

Unhindered export of oil and oil products required an increase in the volume of oil transported from Baku, which put the need to build the Baku-Batumi oil pipeline on the agenda. The oil pipeline would not only increase the volume of oil transported but would also reduce transportation costs by 2/3. The oil pipeline was opened in 190,0 and its throughput capacity was 60,000,000 feet per year. This led to an unprecedented increase in the export of oil and oil products from Batumi. It reached its peak in 1902 and amounted to 78,338,800 feet.

Oil export determined the character of Batumi's industrial development, and gave a significant impetus to the development of trade, and the upsurge of urban life. Over 25 years, Batumi became an important industrial and trade center of the Russian Empire and the third largest city in the Caucasus after Tbilisi and Baku.

The presented work studies issues related to oil export from Batumi: the establishment and operation of industrial enterprises, the development of transport infrastructure, statistical data on the export of oil and oil products, the role of oil export in the economic development of Batumi and its overall impact on the social, demographic situation and political life of the city.

Kay words.  Batumi; oil export;  port; railway; oil pipeline; industry; Nobels; Rothschild.