For the past 50 years, oil and gas workers, with their burning aspiration for finding “black gold” for the nation, have written the glorious history of the Vietnamese oil and gas industry. From a country without oil, Vietnam has become the third largest oil producer and exporter in Southeast Asia and became a well-known strong brand in the world.
Ruling Frenchmen started conducting geological surveys to find out natural resources in Vietnam, including oil and gas, from the late 19th century and early 20th century. Nonetheless, the French did not have any assessment of the viability of oil and gas fields in Vietnam. After North Vietnam was completely liberated from French domination, on a visit to former Soviet Union, President Ho Chi Minh visited Baku Petroleum Industry Zone, the Republic of Azerbaijan on July 23, 1959. The visionary president said, “After Vietnam wins the war, Soviet Union in general and Azerbaijan in particular ought to help Vietnam exploit and refine oil and gas, and build strong oil and gas industrial zones like in Baku.”
At the request of the Government of Vietnam, in 1960, the Soviet Government sent petroleum geologist Kitovani S.K to Vietnam to help conduct geological surveys to find oil and gas. In 1960 and 1961, he and his Vietnamese colleagues completed the first general report entitled “Geology and prospects of oil and gas in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.” From the visionary strategy of the Party and the State and initial conclusions of the geological report, on October 8, 1961, the Council of Government issued Decision 159/CP providing tasks, rights, authorities and operations of General Department of Geology, mentioning the formation of Petroleum Exploration Expedition. Just over a month later, on November 27, 1961, the General Department of Geology issued Decision 271/DC to found Petroleum Exploration Expedition No. 36, more commonly known as Geological Expedition 36, or just Expedition 36.
Oil and gas survey results carried out by Petroleum Exploration Expedition No. 36 in the Red River Delta and throughout northern Vietnam in the 1960s served as a precondition for the Government to issue Decision 203/CP dated October 09, 1969 establishing Geological Division No. 36 on the basis of expanding the scale and scope of Petroleum Exploration Expedition No. 36 in order to step up explorative operations in northern Vietnam. According to the aspirations of all generations of Vietnamese oil and gas workers and proposal of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), on July 20, 2009, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed and issued Decision 1034/QD -TTg declaring November 27 as the “Traditional Day of Vietnam Oil and Gas Industry.” This was the establishment date of the Petroleum Exploration Expedition (Petroleum Exploration Expedition No. 36) - the first Vietnamese agency in charge of researching, seeking, exploring oil and gas in Vietnam, the forerunner of the former General Department of Petroleum and Gas and the current Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group.
After 50 years of construction and development, the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group has grown to be a leading economic group in Vietnam, with its financial obligations to the State accounting for some 30 percent of State Budget collections, and plays an important role in national industrialisation and modernisation. Vietnam has developed a complete oil and gas industry from exploring, producing and refining to petroleum storage and distribution. The current results are accrued from the attention and close direction of the Party, Government, ministries, departments and agencies at both central and local levels, along with the determination of all staff of Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, especially engineers, workers and employees, who work tirelessly and creatively to uphold the fine tradition of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Industry.
The production and business process inspired by patriotic emulation movements has generated hundreds of outstanding collectives and individuals who have created a lot of technical innovations, and acquired and mastered advanced technologies, techniques and governance. They are the embodiment of patriotic emulation movements, the representatives of a new generation of enterprising, responsible oil and gas workers, rising up for the sustainable development of oil and gas industry and ready to devote and share themselves for the sake of community and national welfare. With their diligence, creativity and burning aspiration to find more “black gold” for the country, oil and gas workers have written the glorious history of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Industry.
Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group is an influential, united economic group. Each oil and gas worker is proud of his work. Each unit is proud to be a member of heroic Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group. This is an unparalleled strength and advantage. This is built on the service of previous generations: lucid, dynamic, creative leaders and highly-qualified, intelligent staff. Mr Phung Dinh Thuc, Secretary of Party Committee and Chairman of Board of Members of Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, said: "The next generations, like us at present time, will resolutely never be satisfied with results achieved, will not allow themselves to stain such a precious image, but will responsibly unite together to promote, beautify and brighten the image of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Industry, and continue to develop the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group sustainably. The stable and sustainable development of the Group is our objective, and our responsibility.”
Phuong Lan
Vietnamese
