Vladislav Strizhov
1930–1992
This is a tribute to Vladislav Strizhov, the first Director General of Nadymgazprom, who would be 75 these days.
Vladislav Strizhov, the first Director General of Nadymgazprom (from 1971 to 1986) was born on August 25, 1930 in Saransk, Autonomous Republic of Mordovia. In 1947 he finished a naval school in Baku and got enrolled into the Azizbekov Industrial Institute of Azerbaijan awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor where he specialized at the Department of Oil and Gas Fields Development and graduated in 1952.
Vladislav started his career in 1952 in Sernovodsk at the Exploration Drilling Office of Kuibyshevneftegazrazvedka and it took him only two years to advance from an engineer to Director of Engineering and Operations.
In 1955 he was appointed to the position of Chief Engineer of the Exploration Drilling Office in Chapaevsk and in 1957 he was seconded to the Gas Pipelines and Gasoline Plants Operation Directorate. There he worked as Chief Engineer of Gas Field No.1 and then as Director of Gas Field No.2 at Krasnodarneft in Armavir.
In 1964 Vladislav as a highly-skilled professional, was seconded to the Geology and Subsurface Protection Department with the Council of Ministers of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Over 3 years he worked there as regional oil exploration office Director. In the end of 1967 he was transferred to YuzhNIIGiprogaz – a Russian Design Institute, where he first headed Krasnodar Department, and then – a laboratory.
In 1971 Vladislav Strizhov was appointed Head of the Directorate for Northern Fields and Gas Pipelines Development; from June 1972 he was Head of the Nadym Gas Fields Directorate; from October 1973 he was appointed Director and in December 1983 – Director General of Nadymgazprom. From the very first days of the Medvezhye gas field development, the largest in the Russian Far North, Vladislav Strizhov proved to be a highly-skilful professional, energetic and experienced manager capable of independent decision-making, exacting towards his subordinates and self-demanding. During the years of his work Vladislav Strizhov contributed greatly to the gas industry development in the northern Tyumen Oblast. It has been for the first time in the international practice when a gas field was explored and put on-stream in extremely challenging geographical, climatic and geotechnical conditions over such a short period. Also, major drilling and production, construction and transportation units were successfully set up.
Under the leadership of Vladislav Strizhov the company was able to achieve high operating performance. Due to implementation of advanced geotechnical and scientific developments, introduction of new technology and machinery, the Medvezhye gas field achieved its projected annual output of 72 billion cubic meters in 1977 – one year ahead of schedule. Throughout the period of 10 years Nadymgazprom was awarded the Red Banner of the CPSU Central Committee, USSR Council of Ministers, Central Trade-Union Council, Central Committee of Leninist Young Communists League on 7 occasions. For its performance during the 9th five-year period Nadymgazprom was awarded the Memorial Sign for Labor Merit in the 9th Five-Year Period, and for performance during the 10th five-year period – the Memorial Sign for High Performance and Quality of Work in the 10th Five-Year Period. In 1981 the company was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Vladislav Strizhov initiated and began preparations for pilot operation and pre-development of the Urengoy and Yamburg gas and condensate fields and the Novoportovskoye oil, gas and condensate field. He put a lot of effort and attention into construction of housing, social and cultural facilities in Nadym and Pangody. Construction of a pilot brick factory allowed for a decrease in construction materials imports, thus shortening the construction timeline and making it cheaper.
Under the leadership of Vladislav Strizhov Nadymgazprom had turned into a highly-developed, multi-sector business engaged not only in gas production but also in energy production, transportation, construction, maintenance as well as construction materials manufacturing and agricultural products processing, maintenance of the utilities in the entire city.
For his great contribution to the gas industry development in the Far North of the Tyumen Oblast as well as for outstanding achievements of Nadymgazprom Vladislav Strizhov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and the Badge of Honor, the Medal for West Siberia Subsurface Exploration and Petroleum Sector Development. He was awarded the title of Distinguished Petroleum Sector Worker of the Russian Federative Soviet Socialist Republic and the title of Honorable Gas Industry Worker. In 1979 he received the award of the USSR Council of Ministers. He was the winner of Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals of the All-Union Economy Achievements Exhibition, numerous Certificates of Merit from the Gas Industry Ministry and from Tyumengazprom – the All-Union gas production association.
Vladislav Strizhov retired on December 18, 1986.
He died in Moscow on November 18, 1992.
In September 1997 the Vladislav Strizhov monument was unveiled in Nadym. One of the city's streets was named after him.