Nikolai Bely
From 1972 – Assistant Minister, Head of the Administration of Affairs, Deputy Head of the Geological Administration at the Gas Industry Ministry of the USSR.
“Sabit Orudzhev knew how to defend the interests of his country”
Heading west
In the 1970s, Russian gas was making its way to Western European markets. That is why it was considered crucial for gas industry specialists to ensure compliance with export obligations. And it was not just about ensuring the required supply volumes, but also about maintaining the qualitative characteristics of gas stipulated by the contracts.
I recall a situation that happened at the World Gas Congress in Toronto, Canada.
Shortly before that, the Orenburg – USSR Western Border gas pipeline had been brought into operation, and Orenburg gas had started flowing to Germany. But the gas treatment operations were not fine-tuned enough yet, so the gas had quite a sharp smell.
Attention to criticism
The German media made a fuss about it, saying that Russians were supplying low-quality gas.
Dr. Liesen, Chairman of the Management Committee of Ruhrgas, told Sabit Orudzhev about it. At first, Mr. Orudzhev joked that the smell was likely caused by gas leaks in the German pipeline.
But when Dr. Liesen showed him a huge bunch of newspaper clippings, Mr. Orudzhev instantly grew serious. Having noticed this change in mood, Yury Vysheslavtsev, Director General of Orenburggazprom, tried to take the brunt of the criticism. But Mr. Orudzhev did not let him do that and assured the partners on his own behalf that he would take all measures to settle the issue as soon as possible. While saying this, the Soviet minister became so anxious that Dr. Liesen had to calm him down. As a result, they had to suspend gas supplies from Orenburg to Germany at the time.
For national interests
When negotiating with foreign companies, Mr. Orudzhev was very persuasive in defending the interests of his country and arguing in favor of the decisions that served its needs and benefits. A tough negotiator, he would often make a witty joke, which helped break the tension and inspired everyone to develop mutually beneficial solutions. Sabit Orudzhev's standing among the foreign partners was quite high.
S. Volchkov, S. Orudzhev, V. Semichev, V. Zubkov et al. during visit to USA in 1975
Sabit Orudzhev was a truly gifted leader and a generous person. The tremendous progress achieved in the gas industry in the 1970s was in no small part due to him.
