Oil well №45 and its contribution to Azerbaijan's industrial triumph And world’s most active mud volcano in the country

Lökbatan is one of the settlements located near Baku. This place is associated with many interesting facts and rightfully holds a special place in the history of Azerbaijan's oil industry development.

In ancient times, a caravan stop was located in the settlement's territory. Since the area was marshy and camels often got stuck in it, the settlement was named Lökbatan ("lök" translates as "camel," while "batan" means "to sink" or "to get stuck"). The settlement began to expand in 1931–1932 following the gushing of an oil well and the start of oil extraction. But let’s take it step by step.

Near the settlement lies the mud volcano of the same name—one of the largest volcanoes in Azerbaijan and the most active mud volcano in the world! Since 1810, 25 eruptions have been recorded, with one of the most powerful occurring in 1977. The eruption was marked by intense emissions of mud and gas. In some areas, the volcano’s crater field resembled a boiling cauldron. And early in the morning, the surroundings echoed with a deep rumble, signalling the start of the eruption. A powerful explosion soon followed. According to eyewitnesses, a roaring column of fire rose more than 350 metres above the volcano’s summit. This was caused by a gas jet bursting from the depths of the Earth and igniting. A massive orange-red glow illuminated the entire area, making it as bright as day in nearby settlements within a radius of several dozen kilometres. The volcano ejected an enormous amount of volcanic mud, covering the surrounding landscape.

One of the most powerful eruptions of this restless mud giant was recorded in 2017 and was so intense that a 3.0-magnitude earthquake was detected in the area. Even today, the Lökbatan mud volcano remains highly active. Due to its size and frequent activity, it has been a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998.

In this context, it is also important to note that Azerbaijan ranks first in the world in terms of the number of mud volcanoes. However, it is the Lökbatan mud volcano that has a particularly close connection with the country’s oil industry.

Scientists pointed to the connection between mud volcanoes and oil and gas deposits at the very dawn of studying this fascinating natural phenomenon. As early as 1832, researchers N. Voskoboynikov and A. Guryev, while briefly touching on certain aspects of mud volcanism, wrote that volcanic eruptions are caused by hydrocarbon gases separating from oil fields.

In the travel notes of N. Palibin from 1875, one particularly interesting passage can be found: "The Bogboga mud volcano (located on the Absheron Peninsula—author's note) is an 'underground laboratory' where oil is produced."

It is important to note that even the great chemist D. Mendeleev pointed to the connection between oil and gas formation and volcanism. In his view, mud volcanoes serve as evidence of the ongoing process of oil formation.

The first scientific justification for the genetic link between mud volcanoes and oil fields was provided by the prominent scientist, Academician I. Gubkin. He believed that mud volcanoes act as “beacons,” indicating the presence of industrial reserves of oil and natural gas. His theoretical assumptions were confirmed in practice during the 1930s.

Before that, areas with mud volcanoes had long been considered unpromising for discovering industrial hydrocarbon deposits. Mud volcanism was thought to contribute to the destruction of oil and gas reserves. However, some geologists held an opposing view, with some even advocating to "drill for oil based on volcanoes."

The prolonged debate on this issue finally concluded in 1933. Geologist Bakhysh Sultanov, after providing scientific justification, proposed drilling an exploratory well near the Lokbatan mud volcano on its volcanic breccia (a clayey mass with rock fragments). The well, numbered 45, struck a spectacular gusher, producing up to 20,000 tons of oil per day!

According to old-timers, "a massive river of oil flowed toward the sea, and the gusher soared more than 50 metres high." For comparison, a typical oil well usually produces between 4 and 6 tons per day.

Sultanov's scientific prediction turned out to be correct—the well became a record-setter in terms of the amount of oil extracted! This demonstrated that the area affected by the volcano does not cause destruction to the reserves. The Lökbatan mud volcano became the first in the world to confirm the genetic link between mud volcanism and oil fields. It also highlighted the need for exploring new deposits near mud volcanoes.

In this context, readers may find it interesting to learn that later, on the instructions of Mir Jafar Bagirov, a portrait of Sultanov with the inscription "Outstanding geologist Bakhysh Sultanov discovered a new large oil field in Azerbaijan" was displayed at the railway station square.

The famous well operated until recently. However, on August 28, 2015, it was sealed for technical reasons. Well No. 45 was one of the most productive on land. According to estimates, during its operation, it produced 273,000 tons of oil and about 800 million cubic metres of gas. Not every well in the world can boast such figures!

It’s also interesting to note the technical parametres of this historic well: its depth was 647 metres, and the famous oil gusher occurred at a depth of 564 metres. Today, a commemorative plaque dedicated to the great geologist Bakhysh Sultanov, as well as to master Aghaverdi Shahverdi oglu, who participated in its drilling, is installed near the well. Despite the fact that 1,766 wells have been drilled in the Lokbatan area over 94 years of operation, No. 45 holds a special place.

There is no place on Earth that compares to Azerbaijan in terms of the uniqueness and richness of its subsurface resources, and the Lökbatan volcano and the famous well No. 45 are a vivid testament to this. It was from this well that a new chapter in national oil extraction began, and it has forever gone down in history as one of the most productive in our country.

Vahid Shukurov, for Caliber.Az