THE OIL FIELDS OF SAKHALIN ISLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 32
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: September 17, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
1949 4L.MJJII IVtIIVIV i)1!1 t!~l~l,V1~1tCVL~U~ U .LU.L4th UiVLY
MAY
,
,
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
I THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT SO
U. 5 C.. 31 AND 32 AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN AMY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON 15 PRO-
M 101TEO BY LAW REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED
REPOR11
CD NO.
DATE DI
STR.
17 Sept. 1951
NO. OF PAGES
50X1-HUM
1
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/CONTROL-US OFFICIALS ONLY
NAVY i- ~NSRB
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied
Iq
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
T RE OIL FIELDS t)P THE SA I LII+i _ ISLAND n
( TE DALF+EF'T .,
INDEX OF C Oi TENTS Q
IUTP ODUCTI rle
Paronmai--Kadvlanvi
CC eneral Geo In ,r . . . . . . . . .
Tectonics
A ? p ? ? a ? ? y o a o o a e y
nil nccurence ? . . . ? ..
II. PRODUCTION AND EXPL' RATI ON ., .
1. Omaha field . ? . . . . .
2. Ehabi oil fields ?
A Western Ehabi
D, Eastern Ehabi
j . ratan li field.
4, i utovo field ,
Pi ltun
Goror~,i
III. EXPLOBATION AREAS OF SA.K LIIti
1.
2?
.
3
4.
7?
8.
Boatsin . .
Ko n hi
Chamgu-. om.pi
Liangeri , . , , , ? %
Sakhalin Island . . .
3
4
5_
0 b
r1
1
10.
11,.
12
l4
.L .
14,
15.
15
16
41~
?16
.16
.17
Y 4 Q 0 4 . 0 *
Geological and Geophysical Investigations
for oil in the Southern part of Sakhalin
Summary of the Exploration Work in the
D. Drilling. . a R . J . . , ? .
C. Crude oil reserves
IV? SPECIPICRTInNS OP Tier, SAKR.ALIN CRULhS
V. BEPINI1 G , , .
VI . GENERAL SUMAARY AND C O C LUS I r' S .
17
4 18,
4194
20.
23,
.24.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
THE OIL FIELDS OF THE SA1 iALI1, I L41Z
I. Fw)DUCTI O d .
The Sakhalin Island is lying in the Sea of Okhotsk between
54? and 46? of Northern Lattitude and is separated from the
Eastern coast of Siberia by a channel frot 15 to 1;--,n kilometers
widen The Island itself is about 960 kilometers long and ex-
tends in longitudinal direction (See the Index Trap of Sakhalin
attached. to the present report). Mountain ridges strike along
the Island, the Northern part rf which is a wild country with
a cold climate, whereas the climatic conditions of its Southern
part are milder, what makes the valleys Of Southern Sakhalin
qu.itable for agriculture.
The com:runications between Sakhalin and the Siberian main-
land are maintained by ship, from Vladivostok to Alexandrovsk
and other ports, or from 1:Iikolaievsk on Amur to Itosealvo (240
kilometers) by schooner , and from Eoscalvo by a local railway
line ( jO kilometers) to the Okha oil field.
In the Southern part of Sakhalin two railway lines run
along the Western coast ( between Nevelsk in the South and Ugle=
gorsk in. the North) and on the Eastern coast (between Korsakov
in the South and Poronaisk in the North -- See Map of The nil
Fields of Sakhalin hereto attached),
Coal, oil and gold are the principal mineral ressources
exploited. in Sakhalin. In addition timber, paper and fish pre.
serves are produced in the Island,
Russians started the colonization. of Sakhalin in the begin-
ning of the XIXth century. After the Russo-Japanese war of
1904-1905 the Southern half of the Island, up to the 50th paral-
lel, was annexed by Japan4 The Soviets have recovered it in
1945 in accordance with the terms of the Yalta agreement.
Since 1925 the Soviets began the development of the Nor-
thern part of Sakhalin, the population of which gradually in-
creased to almost 1OO,non inhabitants in,1939, due to the arri,4-
val of new settlers from the Siberian continent. !)il produc-
tion and. coal mining was organized, while the exploitation of
timber industry and fisheries was intensified to a considerable
extent,
After the second world war the Soviets began to colonize
the Southern part of Sakhalin, which with a great number of new
immiggants._became the main centre of fisheries and fish preser
st factories in the Soviet Far East, The town of. Yuzhno-.Sa-=
khalinsk, situated in the extreme South of the Island, is the
CON
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
,d sin strktiv9:c6 itr of the Sakhalin province of the U.SZj
Industrial exploitation of the oil ressources nf Northern
Sakhalin started in 1928, when first wells had be-;n put on regu-
lar production in the Okha area (Sea the Map of Sakhalin here-
to attached). Subsequently four other oil fields were discove-
red by the Soviets in th- Northern part of the Island and had
been gradually brought into production. These area Ehabi field
which has been brought in in 1936:; Kata ii 'f old, put on regu-
lar production since 1948; Eastern Ehahi field, exi,:loited since
1947, and 1 utovo field, which has been brought into production
in 1945?
All these oil producing fields are controlled by the Soviet
Dalneft (Far nil) organization, with the head office at Fabarov--
sk on the Siberian mainland. The Dalneft also exploits the re-
fineries and cracking plants at Habarovsk, Nikolaievsk on Amur
and Komsom.oisk (See the Index map of Sakhalin attached to this
report).
According to the scheme of "corl,lex regional development,"
the Soviets rake efforts to create in the Far East quite an au-
tonormous self-supporting oil producing and refining organiza-
tion; hence the iintl is ication of the crude production's develo-
pment in Sakhalin in order that this production may satisfy all
the requirements of the Soviet Far East berme markets At pre-
sent the Far Eastern refining centres possess the intake capa-
tities (for detail see the paragraph Refining of the present re-
port) sufficient to treat the total amount of crude produced in
the Sakhalin oil fields, whereas between 1935 and 1939 large
quantities of this crude remained unrefined., and were, either
exported, stored in earthen pits in. the fields, or even used as
fuel, as the labarovsk refinery - sole operating during; that pe-
riod - had an intake capacity inadequate to deal with all the
crude oil produced in Sakhalin,
The normal development of this remote oil region is, natu-
rally, rendered especially difficult due to an insufficient stu-
dy of its geology, the general wilderness of the country, where
roads are very scarce, the lack of modern technical equipment,
various materials, accomodation for technicians and. workren, etc .
Despite considerable delays in progress of geological re-
search work and of drilling operations, as well as a number of
other 3hortcorings, inavoidable and :r the ;:soviet conditions, ti e
Sakhalin oil fields continued to increase their crude production
since 1940, and particularly with t4-..e brie i.na into Production
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
of the new oil fields of gsternhabii, Katapgli and 1lutovo
Nevertheless, the Dalneft union did not fulf311 the plan quotas
in 1949, and its general operation was less satisfactory than
that of the most part of the other Soviet Eastern oil producing
regions.
A brief analysis of the producing situation's developrent
in the Sakhalin Island since the beginning of the exploitation
of its oil fields can be found in chapter II."Production and
Exploration'of the present study. The progress of investiga-
tions for petroleum in a number of exploretinn areas of Sakhalin
is diet ri ad-r- .la",, th*='.o , ,ter' II 'a" 'I '-ore,ta.on Areas
General aeolo
Recent deposits are represented in the Sakhalin Island by
fluvial alluvial strata, which are well developed in valleys and
in river and mountain spring beds, alluvial formationsare, ge-
nerally, of a great variety in this regi?n; in the vicinity of
mountain ridges they are represented. by plates and. flat stones
and Tertiary sandstohes, More ancient alluvial deposits forr.i
sand terraces of river basins. These sands are characterized by
irregular diagonal succession of layers interrupted '.)y various
pebble beds, and considerable quantity of orge:mic sediments are
mixed with sand and. pebble layers., Pit deposits, striking over
large areas in the ',vrestern coastal plain part of the Island, forty
another type of recent strata, Marine terraces and sand beaches
extend along; the coastal line of Sakhalin.
Quarternary Fost-Fliocene deposits area strongly developed
in the central part of the Island, where they cover a wide area
of pla ins, and they also occupy large surf~.rzes in the coastal
zones, thus forming six ancient :artne terraces, Post-Fliocene
formations are composed of shallow water coastal deposits, mostly
of various sand beds, such as large grained sands, pebbles, and a
small proportion of clays of different colourings
Tertiary deposits outcrop to the surface in the lowest parts
of the country, such as washed off terraces. These strata form
the top parts of the Eastern and Western ridges of the Island.
Tertiary formations can be subdivided into a number of Seriesi
a soft shale series strikes at the bottom of the Tertiary thick-
ness of Sakhalin. The stratigraphic section of Tertiary depo-
sits is given is the following table: ..
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
SThATI.1I.-RAPWIC SECTIr],'+ OF EAST ERN AKdALII
nom,
Group, System. Series, Corres _~opdi . 'hi,ckriees Lithf,."i(j3Mj. mil ^ocizrence
Stage. in t~rn~_e :n eters)
E.EC fiT .
Q?UAATEFSVAEY.
Post Pliocene.
a vo stage.
Nutovo stage.
T' T Y,L_
Plioce e,
Upper Series..
Ehabi Stage
P a r t ly a b s e n to
Astian
stage.
Various grained Secondary oil
quartz sands, in- showings (of
1, f' f1--l, err terrupted by. li- Tertiary ori-
Mey sandstones & gine).
-clays.
Piachenso stage 600-8OO Large grained Some oil in-
sands with rich dications
fauna (heavy oil).
Meotis stage 6no,1,Crr) Soft sandy grey Up to 16 oil-
Sarmatian stage and dark grey bearing hori-
clays with sand zone. Main
and sandstone in-oil producing
terruptic:n bads series of the
Io rthe rn SakhF
Lower Sarmatian & 1 nO( Various sands lin.
Torlonian stages -1~j nn clayey soft sand-0081s UP to
stones, rarine 2 meters thick
sandstones, clays.
fkobika_y stage
Lower Series.
Dai;hi stage?
Miocene,
Lower Series,
Attao stage
:Ielvstian &
Aquitanian
stages
j Of)-4?O Predorinent large
grained sands &
sandstones
Oligocene. About
"Soft Shales Series" Monterey 400 Claycey Shales Oil shows.
with li!ey in-
terruption beds
Note; -. At Okha, the horizons I,IV,V,VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV and
XV of the Okobikay stage (Upper Pliocene Series), are oilbearing,
The layers III,VII and XIII yield the main crude production in
the Northern Sakhalin ( oil fields of Okah, Ehabi, Katangli, Eas-
tern Ehabi, and Nutovo).
Tectonics
The central part of the Sakhalin Island,ia': $Ot d of a,, large -,bu-
ki.ir4,-stm :dtrire l ,wlai;ck~;strikes frog the North to the South, slo-
ping to an average level of 1,00n to 1,5ff meters in comparison
with. the Eastern folds. Transversal interruption faults are
4.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
encountered in the Island, and their are responsible for the
section of the Northern Sakhalin into three parts; The Northern
uplifted one (Schmidt peninsula); tTie rid .le - the a'r e*no ;
and the Southern - again uplifted.
Recent formations strikes in horizontal direction, whereas
the Quarternary Post-Pliocene strata strike trans; ressively un-
der sloping angles of up to 5?. The similarity of lithologi-
cal composition of Tertiary derosits and the poverty of their
fauna, as well as an insufficient outcroI:.irg of strata handi-
cap the study of their exact tectonics,
Tectonic lines of Sakhalin are, generaisy, following the
North- South direction; this can also be said about disjonctive
dislocations, The crestal parts of the Western and the Eastern
ridges represent the areas of the major tectonic uplifts. A
nzber folds., which extend along the Eastern and the Western
coasts of Sakhalin, strike in this general direction. Geolo.
gical investigation of ton of these folds was undertaken in the
Eastern coastal zone, and - of eight other on the Western coast.
nil Occurence,
Surface oil seepages are encountered along the entire Eas-
tern coast line of Sakhalin; they corresipoid, for the host
part, to the Okobikay stage of the sprier I'lioeene Series, and
seldom - to the Ehabi stage (Upper Pliocene), and Nutovo stage
(Post-Pliocene). These oil seepages are found under the form
of asphaltic matter or tar-oil accurulaticns in the, so-called
"asphaltic lakes",
The oil seepages of the Western coast of Sakhalin are less
frequent, in the Liageri area, for instance, than in the Eastern
.
part of the Island,
Investigations for Petroleum in Sakhalin.
First geological prospecting of the Sakhalin Island was
started by Russians late urn XIXth century,. Two test wells were
drilled in the Okha area in 1892; one of these wells reached a
depth of 992 meters, but gave no positive results. In 1898, oil
indications were discovered in a well, which was drilled at Nu--
tovo to a depth of 76 meters, Further exploration work had
been carried by a British company at Boatsin? Up to 1917 nine
test wells had been comtleted in the Island to a maximur, depth.
of 285 meters,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
Geological surveying; of Sakhalin was started in 190 by
the Geological Committee; bntl~,,ras far fro ! being completed at
the outbreak of the Russian revolution of 1917, In 1918 the
Northern part of the Island was occupied by Japanese, v yho star-
ted test drilling in a number of localities on the ~,;astern coast
of Sakhalin. The industrial importance of the nkha field (See
Map of the Sakhalin oil fields hereto attached) has been estab-
lished in 1923. The Japanese have evacuated the Northern half
of the Island in 1925. The Soviet oil technicians have brought
into production first fourteen wells at Okha in 1928, and since
this period the industrial exploitation of the Sakhalin petro-
loun ressources began.
II. FRODUCT1% AND EXPL TIO.
The total cumulative production of the Northern Sakhalin
oil region since the beginning of operations to the end of 1949
reached ahout B,787,n00 tons4
The development of the prod-acing situation in the Sakhalin
oil fields is shown in the following table:
-.
Cj '?IL PYCDUCTII?N 'F SA ALlNj
Year, Metric Tors.
of production in comparison
with ~ o E oviet c r u d e oil
Production.
1928
-L 6 Eno
O i3 r
1929
74, 7 nr
0,43.
1930
95,100
1931
133 Inn
0,6r'
1932
182, 900
n
1933
196p400
n"gly,
1934
241, 8!'n
n a:?-
1935
239,30C)
1936
308n0r'-
1, 08'
1937
327,300
1,14;
1938
343,rn0
1,15;'
1939
412,500
1033 e,
194()
4 72, Oro
1,45
1941-44 -
1,750,000
1945
56 o , oon / -
27'''
1946
617, 000
2,69<
1947
735 Onr4,
2.7n:.a*ers s A and XVI) was not yet determined.
Tectonics.
The i}kha structure forms a braehy-anticline striking in el-
most the meredianal direction.. The Western flank of this fold
id gently sloping, whereas the Eastern one is dipl:in ; at a more
stiff angle. A number of diagohal faults interrupt the struc-
ture from the South West to the North-East. The surfaces of
throws dip at tiles up to 60o. The Western flank of the fold
is sloping at an angle of 13?, and the Eastern is plunging at
an angle of up to 80?.
Qi l 0ccurence A
Oil indications are encountered at 0kha in the Lower section
of the Ehabi stage (Upper Pliocene Series), where two oilbearing
layers were discovered.. However., the vain oil producing hori-
zons correspond to Okobikai stage of Upper Pliocene. The litho-
logical cop osition of oilbearing strata change according to their
horizontal extension or their depth. Throws and other faults exec
cise their influence over the nature of industria.i accurulations
of oil.
.The following layers are being, exploited at okha: layers III,
11',v v,VrI, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV and XV, but the principal
com,ercial yields are being; obtained from layers III, VII and XIII
Altogether, sixteen oilhearinE layers were discovered in the 0ko-
bikai stage of the Upper Pliocene aeries in this area, at depths
81
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
varying from 60h1 to 1, nrt' meters.
The average initial daily -wields of the wells which had
been drilled to the layers III varied fran 2 to 2!' tons of oil
per well; of those drilled to horizon VII reached up to 2' tons
per well, while flowing; production was obtained frog a few wel-
ls, which were coml.leted to layer XIII;- thus, for instance,
an initial daily oil flow of 500 tons was yielded by the well
N o.4/22, which was drilled to layer XIIIbis in l9 4. The ge- _
neral thickness of oilbearing horizons -- including those belon-
sing to the Ehabi stage of Upper Pliocene Series - is estir-,a--
ted to reach about 1,300 meters,.
The layer VII is considered as the most prolific at nkha.
Good initial average yields are also obtained from layers XIII
bis and XIV. Gas indications are encountered in layers XI,.
XII and XIII.
Exploration.
In spite of the fact that thm~ existence of oil occurences
in the Eastern part of Sakhalin was known. since a long time,
the exploration of the Okha area started only in 1920, when
the Japanese spudded in first test wells in this locality. The
preliminary geological investigations were carried out almost
entirely by the Japanese, who have obtained at Okha first com-
mercial quantities of oil in 1923 (1,252 tons), and thus have
established the industrial importance of this oil area.
The Soviet utilized these discoveries in order to orga-
nize their own crude production in the Island, after the with-
drawal of the Japanese in 1925, First group of Soviet tech-
nicians arrived Ve Okha in 1928, when fourteen exploitation
wells were put on regular production and a total crude. produc-
tion of i7, 6t)O tons was obtained.
Further exploitation of the Okha oil field was, naturally;
hampered by the rer;oteness and inaccesibilitT of this area,
but despite all the prevailing difficulties, the Soviets mana-
ged to develop the production during the following few years.
Thus, 15,7nn tons were produced and 57 wells were under exploi-
tation at Okha in 1931, whereas in 1934 the total crude pro-
duction of the Okha field reached 241, 8r0 tons with about 150
exploited wells.
Until 1936 Okha was the only oil field of the Eastern
part of Northern Sakhalin where the industrial exploitation
was organized by the Soviets. but in 193; interesting results
were obtained .>...
9.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
in. the Ehabi area (see next paragraph). In October 1936 well
No 30/9 was brought in with an initial flowing production of
about 2 '0 tons per day. Subsequently, early in 1937 another
well algo gave flowing production frou a depth of 6r2 meters.
Contour test drilling was continued at nkha in 1937 and 1938,
and a number of wells which had been corfq-,eted there during
this period permitted to extend the exploited area of this
field.
Production of the Okha oil field continued to increase in
1939 and 19404 when it reached about 360tons per annul
The average daily production, however, continued to decrease
following the exhaustion of the initial 7i_l flogs, and it did
not exceed. from 4.8 to 3.3 tons per prodticin; well. before the
war, In result of a number of successful completion the ex-'
ploited area of this field was extended in the Southern direc-
tion in 1940, and it reached about 4 1/2 kilometers in length
and over 1 1/2 kilometers in width,
The progress of exploitation drilling was much delayed at
Okha due to frequent accidents and to the special technical
difficulties caused by the eor.plicated tectonics of' the Okha
geological structuure.
To remedy a rapid exhaustion of flowing wells, secondary
methods of exploitation are being applied. at Okha since 1947,
where a certain intensification of yield. s was obtained during
the last three years by means of gas injection into the cres-
tal parts of the oilbearing layers?
2. rfthi oil. fields
The Ehabi area is situated at a distance of about 15 ki-
lometers in the Southern direction of the nkha field, and to
the West of the Ehabi bay (See Map of the nil fields r-f Sakha-
lin. attached to the present report).
Two anticlinal folds were discovered in this area by means
of geophysical methods. Geological explojtatton Work as star-
ted at Ehabi bar the Japanese, who organizeI test dries ling ope-
ration in this locality ~.inbb 1923, but no definite results
were obtained at Ehabi under the Japanese occupation,
A, Western ab
The Western Ehabi anticline forms an ass;rmetric fold wilt
a sloping large dome corposed of a section of Ehabi Series
(Upper Pliocene), The axis of the uplift dips it its Southern
part at an angle of 100; theycrestal part of the structure is
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
up to two kilometers wide. Test well i o. ,l has r et in this
fold three sand layers, from 5 to 7 meters thick each, with
oil ir_dicatio.ns,. At a depth of 8n0 peters a fourth oilbea-
ring, horizon- about 1n r_!eetrs thic#_ -- was discovered. Well
ivo.l has crossed at a depth of 60n meters layer XIV of the
Okoboikai stage (Upper Pliocene Series), which yielded an ini-
tial/flow of about 25` tons per day under a pressure of 5
a t/ Mospheres,. A number of gasbearing layers were discove-
red above layer XIV, Thus, the industrial irportance of the
Western Ehabi anticline has been deters ine . in 1936, Test
well No.2 reached. at a depth of 60,9 meters horizon XVI of the
Okobikai stage (Upper Pliocene), also crossed, several gasbea-
ring horizons, and found oil indications in sand interruption:
beds corresponding to those which were discovered by the well
No. 1,
The Ehabi oil field has been brought into production
in 1936/37 and continued to be developed satisfactorily since
that time. The wells rorpleted in this area in 1940 gave on
the average initial yields of some 50 tuns per day and per
well. However, in this field also the initial oil flows, go-
nerally, discontinued very soon, and the average daily pro-
duction dropped to an order of 5 to 10 tons. Contour. Dril-
ling was continued at Ehabi with the purpose to establish
the extent of the oilbearin-r area. Large quantities of cru-
de were stored during the period of 1937-1941) in earthen
pits, due to the lack of storage capacities and the dif'f'i.-
eiency of this new field's installfttions, such as local pi-
pe-lines, reservoirs, etc. The situation has improved sin-
ce 1940, however, with the completion of new refineries at
Nikolaievsk on Amur and Kora.somolsk able to treat the entire
crude produced at Ehabi and in other fields of Sakhalin0
Crude production continued to increase in the Western
Ehabiibut its developraient was somewhat harrpered for various
political and strategical reasons during the period 1940 -
1945, In spite of a generally satisfactcr; producing situa
tion at Ehabi, a considerable number of wells were terr7pora-
ry suspended in this field, what also delayed the normial de-
veloprent of this new oil producing area.
B. Eastern Ehabi.
The Eastern anticline of Ehabi is stiffly uplifted and
is interrupted by a longitudinal throw along which 0kobikai
11.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
and Ehabi Series are brought into contact with sands belon-
ging to Itiutovo stage (most-.Pliocene). Surface oil seepages
were frequently discovered in the central part of this fold,
and to a les.3er degree .- in its Northern part a. In the
Southern part of the anticline, which is separated from the
rest of it by a fault following the axis of the structure,
the flanks dip at angles varying from J.^ to 4n0, so that the
fold becomes more sywetrical,- oil occurenee are insignifi-
cant,
Test drilling, which had been carried out An the Centra:
and northern parts of the Eastern Ehabi structure, did not
give any positive results. Sore oil indications were found,
however, between 1934 and 1936, Well No.1 reached a depth
of 823 meters and crossed fkobikai sand-..clayey strata about
450 meters thick,. Oil was discovered at a depth of 66n.678
meters, and the average daily yields of up to 20 tons per
well were ird ially obtained in this area.
Further exploration work was continued at Eastern Ehabi
between 193? and 1940A but drilling operations were progres-
sing with an extreme slowness, what could be explained by
an insufficient study of the local tectonics. However, the
industrial importance of this oil area was established only
in 1546, and the Eastern Ehabi field has been put on regu-
lar production in 1947.
With the end of the second world 'w .r, the development
of the Ehabi producin? area was resumed and several new oil-
bearing; horizons belonging to the Okobikai and Ehabi stages
of the Upper Pliocene Series were discovered in these fields.
A nuurber of new successful completions ach.ive:i at Ehabi
in 1947 and 1948 led to a further extension of the exploited
area of the Western field, while the industrial importance
of the Eastern Ehabi area was definitely confirmed Contour
drilling was continued in this last field during 1948 and
1949,
Katannli field,
Katangli area is lying at a distance of about 220 kilo-
meters in the Southern direction of the nkha field. Three
anticlinal uplifts striking in the South-Eastern direction
were discovered in this area? the cost Eastern fold, which
is divided into two separate uflifts, the Northern, located
12?
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
in the lower course of t'e 1oglik river and the Southern, si-
tuated in the basin of the Katangli river. The Katangli_ fold
is symetrical; in its crestal part nkobikai Series outcrop to
the surface. The fold is dipping at angles varying from 15? to
300; the South-Eastern part is sloping at an angle of 1- 2?,
whereas the angle ac which the No rth Eas to rn part of the fold
is plunging reaches 10 to 12?., 0+1 occurences are connected
with the lower section of the Okobikai st^i,ge (Upper Pliocene
Series) and the upper horizons of the Daghi stage (Lower Plio-
cene Series).
Test drilling operations were started at Katangli in 1932,
and first oil indications were obtained in the South-Eastern
part of the Katangli structure in 1934. The existence of two
oilbearin, layers has been determined, n.a ._3ly "Ki and "K2", 'o t
both belonging to the upper horizons of the Daghi stage. The
average depth of the oilbearing strata is about 21)n deters, and
the average initial daily yields vary in this area frog; 5 to
10 tons per well.
Sixteen wells were co pleted at Kata-,).gli between 1935 and
1938, and small crude production had been obtained in this
area since 1936, but the new field could not be put on regular
production. for years, due to a nur.ber of vecrnica:l re isc+ns,
such as the lack of an adequate technical e: uipxrent, accomoda-
tion for technicians and workren, very slow pro,ress of.dril-
ling, poor conditions of roads etc,,_ difficulties usual under
the Soviet operation of new fields, especially in rer-ote wild
regions, The Katangli oil field has been. definitely brought
in in 1940,
Test drilling had also been carried out in tbH 14abil area,
and oil indications were obtained in well :No .l at a depth of
51 meters. The oilbearing sands correspond here to Forizon
"K" of the Daghi stage (Lower I`liocene Series). Drilling ope-
rations were discontinued following sole accidents. Explora-
tion work was resumed in this locality since 1947, but, so far,
no definite results were achieved,
4. 1 utovo field,
The iutovc field is located in about 85 kiloreters to the
South of Ehabi (See the ?ap of Sakhalin). Surface oil seepa-
ges were frequently encountered at )utovo. An anticlinal struc-
ture vas discovered here by means of geophysical rethods; this
1i g
.F4 7'
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
fold is dipling at angles varying frog 550 to 65?, and in its
Eastern flank the anticline is plunging at an angle of 9C)? ..
The crestal part of the anticline is forred of the Okobikai
stage of the Upper Elioeene Series4 Asphaltic lakes are found
in the Nutovo river valley. A fefr test Wells had been drilled
in this locality during the period of 1935-1937, but no posi-
tive results were ohained then, and further drilling ope_rationf
were discontinued. Test drilling was resumed at Nutovo in 1946
and industrial quantities of oil were discovered in the ekobi-
k.ay horizons in 1946 and. 1947, when this new oil field. has
been brought into production,
III. TEE PXPLnRATION AREAS OF SAKIALIN
Geophysical and geological research work was carried out
for a nutr=oer of years in various districts of Sakhalin, Seve-
ral structures favourable for oil accumulation were discovered
by the Soviet geologists in the Eastern prt of northern Sa-
khalin. Among these can be rentioned the following areas:
l0Pa; 2. Kadulanyi; Piltj:n; 4, Gororai; i,Poatsin;
6,Konghi; and 7,Chawgii-I. oorpi. Jre shall briefly examine the
progress of investigations for oil in the above-mentioned loca-
lities, proceeding frog north to South as follows:
1. Pararai- Kadvlanyi,
This exploration. area is lying in about 65 kilometers to
the South of the Ehabi oil field. Geological section of this
area is corr.posed of Recent, Post-Pliocene and Tertiary deposits
Tertiary formations can be subdivided into four powerful thick
nesses: 1. Upper- utovo Series (Post-Pliocene); 2. Nutovo-Se-
ries, which are up to 2,?f^ reters thick; 3. Ehabi stage of
Upper Pliocene (about 8rn meters thick); and 4. ')kobikai stage
.- 250 meters thick (.Upper Pliocene)
A well determined large anticlinal fold was discovered in
this area; the 'Western flank of this anticline is interrupted
by faults, whereas the Eastern flank is well developed. The
Southern part of its axis is displaced it the Western direc-
tion and forms a number of wide throws; &or.e unconforrities
are also found in the Western part of the axis. Okobikay de-
posits outcrop in the crestal part of trip structure; these
strata are followed by the Ehabi and Nutovo Series, which
strike along the axis,
In the Eastern flank of the anticline, the Ehabi strata
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
dip at an les varying from 45 to 5`??, whereas the iyutovo Series
plun6e at 35 to 5()?. The Western flank is dipping; at angles
reaching 6n to 90?. Due to a sharp displacement of strata Oko-
bikai and 1utovo forrations were brought into the contact.
Oil occurences correspond at Paromai tot he lower section
of sandy clays, which belong partly to the Ehabi stage and par-
tly to the Okobikai stage of the Upper Pliocene deposits.
Surface oil seepages are found in the crestal part of the fold
along the lines of unconforrities?
Geological exploration work was started at 1 aromai in 19)2.
A few test wells were also drilled in this locality; test well
No,l encountered some oil indications in sands at a depth of
130 meters. In 1935 test drilling was discontinued at Iaromay,
No definite results were obtained in this exploration area be-
fore the war. Investigations for petroleum were res red. here
since 1947,
2. Pi ltun .
At Piltun, located at a distance of 22 kilometers to the
South of Palomai, surface oil seepages were known since a long
time. Geophysical study of this area was carried out in 1;+38
-1939, but no interesting discoveries were as yet rade in this
locality. Further exploration work was suspended at Piltun in
1940, and it was not resumed since the end of the war,
3. Goromai,
This exploration area is situated.. in about 11n kilometers
to the South of Ehabi. An anticlinal uplift, striking from
North to South, was discoveted at Goromai by means of geophysi-
cal methods. The crestal part of the structure is formed of
dark grey clays, interrupted by beds of middle-grained sands
about 12 meters thick, which belong to the Okobikai stage of
the Upper Pliocene Series. The Ehabi Series reach here a gene-
ral thickness of 500 meters, and they dip at angles up to 35?.
Geological research work was followed- by test drilling in
1933, when the well Idol has reached a depth of 1,190 reters;p
this well encountered several sand layers with some oil indica-
tions. well No.5 yielded small quantities of oil fror, the
layer II of the Okobikai stage. Test drilling operations were
discontinued in this area during the period 1936-1946, to be re-
sumed in 1947, Wlever, no definite results of indtastrial im--
portance were, so far, obtained at Goromai,
15.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
4, Boatsin.
At Boatsin, lying in about 18 kiloreter. s to the South of
Goromai, surface oil seepages are frequently found. Prior to
the Russian revolution a British petroleum corpany was carrying
out geological prospecting in this area, and a few shallow test
wells were drilled. In 192n-1925 the Japi,nese had spudded in
several test wells at Boatsin, but no positive discoveries were
rade in this locality, and test drilling, operations were not re-
sumed here until l94`7, when the Soviets undertook a, nethodie L;eo-,
logical survey of the Eastern coast of Sakhalin, fnllow?d by the
organization of test drilling in a nur..!.ber of interesting areas'.
includin; Boatsin,
5. :Konghi,
In this area, situatd at a distance of 65 kilometers to
the South of the Katangli oil field, geolnp ical and. geophysical
investigations for oil were carried out for several yrarc, but
no interesting discoveries were as yet rtadie at Kong}iii.
6. Chavyu-Nompi,
The locality of Cham,gu- orpi is located in sor(-, 90 kilore-
ters in the Southern direction of Katangli. Geophysical researc1
was organized in this area between 1938 and 1939, but no definite
results were obtained at Chargu-Nor.pi before the war.. ?eologi-
cal surveying was carried out here since 1947,
In addition) investigations for petroleur were undertaken by
the Soviets on the Western coast of the Sakhalin Islr-nd; among
the exploration areas of this group, Liar ;cri is the most irpor-
t ant ,
7. Liam
Liarigeri exploration area is situated in the North-Western
part of the Northern Sakhalin alrost opposite to the estuary of
the Amur river, at a distance of about 90 kilometers in the South
Western direction of the fkha field.
1~1 strip of plain about 8 kilometers wide runs frog- north to
South along the coastal line, followed by a chain of hills sore
100 to 130 meters high, Geologically this area is forced of
Recent, Post-Pliocene and Tertiary deposits
Two large anticlinal folds were discovered at Liangeri;
these anticlines are composed of Tertiary for rations, which strike
in longitudinal direction; their Western flank dips at angles
16.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
vazyirig from 10 to 150, whereas the Eastern flank plunges at
20?. In the crestal part of the structure a coal-bearing
Series, dipping at an angle of. 600, outcrops to tI surface
Surface oil seepages ~1ere discovered in the Western flank
of the Eastern anticline along the Irkri river - a tributary
of the Lian.geri river and in the vicinity of the Siadkoye Lake.
Geological and geophysical. research viork was started at
Liangeri in 1933,,and a few shallow test wells were drilled in
this locality between 1935 and 1939, 3ow?e oil ird.ications
ware encountered by the test well Not in a sand bed. at a depth
of 391 meters, but no definite r.es' lts were obtained at I iange-
ri before the war and further dril-ling operations were suspend-
ed in this area.
Exploration work and drilling were resu ^ed, however, in
this area since 1946/47, and several deep test wells were com-
pleted in 1948 and 1949, but, so far, no discoveries of any in-
dustrial importance were made at Liangeri,
8, Geological and Geophysical investigations for oil in
the Southern part of Sakhalin,
Besides the above-arentioned geological research work for
petroleum in various exploration areas of the Northern Sakhalin
the Soviets are carrying out geological and geophysical inves--
tigations in a nuiu?her of localities situated within the limits
of the Southern half of the Island, which was occupied by the
Soviets in 1945,
The Far Eastern Expedition of the Geological Scientific
Research Institute of the Soviet Union started geophysical and
geo ogical surveying operations in the Southern part pf Sakhaliz
since 1947. In result of the prospecting work so far achieved,
the main lines of strati;raphy and tectonics of South Sakhalin
have been determined. nil occurences and gas seepages were
encountered by the expedition in a nurber of exploration areas
located on the Western coast of the Island, Geological and
Geophysical research work is being continued in Southern Sakha-
lin with the purpose to discover the most promi,sin; areas for
the or;anization of test drilling.
S Sutti aryy of the Ex?)loration Work in the Sakhalin
I sla.
Following theiinter ifieation of the geological; research
work in the Northern part of Sakhalin since 1947, considerable
17.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
geological material was collected; this material enables to
establish the particular conditions of industial oil accumula-
tion in the Island, and thus to rake practical conclusions as
to the genesis of same?
Under the local conditions, however, the progress/ fexplora-
tion work is much delayed, especially in remote -wild areas of
the Island, where the communications are rendered difficult by
the almost inexistence of roads. The extreme ury.Lancy of road
building and. construction of accomr dations for technicians and
wor; menu as well as the la i_r of pi lines of local interest
is, therefore, e !rhasized M_the Sovietpetrolelyr, exyerts
In order to hasten the development of the research for oil
in new exploration areas, drilling of a large nur:ber of deal;
test wells is advised by the Soviet teehhi(eians, The comple-
tion of these wells ,- it is believed .- would contribute to a
rapid s:,liktion of the problem of oil occur?rce in the producti-
ve thickness (-Opper Pliocene Series) of the Sakhalin Island?
B. Drilling.
Exploitation and deep test drilling operations were car-
ried out with a greater intensity since 1;46 in various oil
fields and exploration areas of the Northorn Sakhalin, The
total amount of drilling reached 95, 000 meters during 1948, as
against 42,1no meters in 1940, whereas the. drillin_; situation
developed in Sakhalin between 193n and l94n as follows, -.
DRILLING IN THE S G LIN ISIAND
~. Tn ~fPtPrs)_a.._
Year,
Ex rloitation
Test
Total
Drill
1 ri11inrr
,
1930
- 3, 500 -
1, 8O0
300
1931
6, onn
2 inn
1932
- 315^^. -
9 1
.J. r),^1
193.11
14 , 20n -
8 90r,
23
,100
19L54
~- 17, 5^r -
60 7nn
;
P4, 200
1935
-- 2^, l^0 -
6s 9"
27 nnn
1936
- 21, 900 -.
17, 5n0
39,4nr
1937
27,4,10 -
6 inn
1938
- 24, 500 -
6, non
Jr, 5nr)
1939
28,300 -
l0,4nn
38, 7n0
1940
29,40 -.
12, 7-,n
42,100
180
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
The average depth of exploited wells varied Burin.: the sate
period between 70 and 670 meters, whereas the average depth of
test wells increased fret- l ; in 1930 to 621 in 194n, With
the generalized practice of deer test drilling since 1947, the
average depth of -test wells raeched about `5n eterk in 1948,
AS red rds the average speed of drilling, it reached about 275
.eters per rig and per ronth in 1949, as atainst 18> meters in
199, for the test drilling, and - 397 meters, in eorpariso;1
with only 230 meters, for the exploitation drilling respectively
According, to our best estirates the nxirber of producing
wells was of about 90 in the exploited )3_l fields of the Nor-
there Sakhalin, but the average daily stabilized, yields were of
an order of only 4..8 to 5,2 tons per well. Purtherw.ore, a eori-
siderable nuxriber of wells were terporarily suspended for repairs
and the. average nurber of actually- working wells dig411 not exceed
some: 85 I of the total nurber of pr. oducirs4 wreI is a
The drilling; situation started to irrl-rove somewhat since
1948, when modern drilling equiprent of Soviet construction was
brought to Bakhalin, and the introduction of new rigs and tur-
bine drills into the oil fields and exploration areas of the
Dalneft contributed to the progress of the drilling's speed and
the efficiency of drilling operations in general.
Nevertheless, the Soviet technicians continue to root in
Sakhalin with considerable difficulties during drilling opera-
tions in wild rer!ote areas, where the repair--shops are inade-
quate and the corarrunieations with the industrial centres rende-
red very difficult by the hardships of clivate and poor road net-
vwork,
C. Crude 0'il Reserves of the Sakhalin Tsla,nd$
According to the estiriates of tj-Le Soviet geoid gists the
crude oil reserves of the Sakhalin fields and exploration areas
as of January 1st 194. can be represented as follows:
Proven 6, 000, 00n tons
Semi-Proven - g, 5()^ ()nn
Probable .15
Po ssible 62., 000, ()nn it
Following the bringing into production of the pastern Lhabi
field and of Nutovo field the total a. ount of proven and seri-pro
van reserves would have increased, after the tranfer of corres-
pondir ; quantities of sari-proven to the proven category, a:o.c. of
the probable reserves to he se .oven ea. t;eadry.
..r. bh lW'l! . 9'H
Alt
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
AKI ALI?y_ CRtTD'r~
IV, SPEC I FI CATI i7AS OF Tn' _S
The specifications of the i ost tyj ical crude oils of the
Sakhalin Island ate given in the following; tables:-
1 a OkhaCrude (Layer III)..
Specific gravity:- a.t 150C -- ^~
rt t' at 20?C 0.929
Engler viscosity at 5^0C
J .11
`1
Flash ,point (Pren.17en) _ 84?0
Cold test below -20?C
r+, n . t/
Paraffin content (Colda Jr'
Sulphur content
Resins content c r, r f r,r.
Coke content Conradson
Acid content in 'f- S03 O 064 .
------------------------------------------------------------
nkha Crude ~Lalr(lrs VII & VIII
Specific gravity
IT if
Engler viscosity
Flash point
Cold test
Paraffin content
Paraffin felting
Sulphur content
asphaltic utter
Resins content
at 15?C 0,919
,:"k; 20?C 0.916
at 50?C 2.37
(Golde)
point
Conradson
Acid content in / SO
7
68?C
n.691.
57?C
D' 46 '
1.437f
3 5'
4.26/
0 f)19'
W If
5 ? Okha C rude (Layers XI & XI I
Specific gravity at 150C
it at 20?C
E ler viscosity at 50?C
Flash point
CoaZ1ilating point
Paraffin content (Golde )
Paraffin welting; point
Sulphur content
Resins content
Coke content Conradson
Acid content in l. S ?3
0,8`71
0.867
1.27
22?C
~20?C
1.13'
55?C
2F
2n%,
0, 051/.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
4. (kha Crude
(La ezrxIIIbiaj
Specif is
ravity tit 20?C m
^a8 7
Englor viscosity at 50?C -
1.717
Flash point (Brenk.en)
40.?C
Coagulating point below
_2nOC
Paraffin content (CTo ldo) -
1.5 ;1
Paraffin neltin, I?oint -
54?C
Sulphur content -
Resins content -
19
Coke content Conaradson
2 .E.4
Asphaltic matter content
r.46f
Acid content in SO3 -
nq~nl
------------------------------------------------
5. Oda O Ilde t arm XIV_)
Specific r_avity at 20?C
Fn"ler_ viscosity- at 5r0?C 2.n6
Flash point (Brenken)
3 3 ?
Ignition point 82?C..
Coagulating point h8 =snv--200 C
Paraffin content (Golde) 1a+
Paraffin pelting point C' '7
Sulphur content r) 46n
Resins content 4 n7
Coke content Conradson 11
Asphaltic utter content
Acid content in ~,? So-, - n n 714 J
---------------------- .-_--------___---____----_-_-------_---___
Okha Crude
(L,Yers XIII &
_
Specific gravity at 1500
at 20OC
Engler viscosity at 50?C
`lash point
Coagulating point
Paraffin content (Golde )
rgn7
ra903
2.05
3 45?C
6.14
Paraffin reltiD.g point
5 0(;
Resins content
Coke content Conradson
3gn5a
Acid content in f S0
n.n22
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
7.
"`habi crude.
Specific gr-r#ity at 15?C
-
1.90j
if It at 20110
rrp~n5
Engler viscosity at 50?C
Flash point (_Abel.-Fensky)
..,
1?C
Coagulating point below - 180C.
Resins content _ 22.
110 te The Ehn.bi crude oil is resinuous, slightly sulphuric,
paraffinless with a high content of gasoline and ligroin.e frac-
tions; high octane nusrber. gasolines and high specific gravity
distillates are being-obtained-from-this-crude.
------------------------ ___________
8 # i atau li crude .
Specific gravity at 15?C
at 2000
Engler viscosity at 50?C
Flash point (Martens-Fensky)
Coagulating point
Resins content
Sulphur content (Eshke)
1 utovo Crude?
--
-
below
0` 45
x).941
64611
126?C
20?C
Specific gravity at 15?C
n at 20?C
Engler viscosity at 500C
Flash point (Abel--Pensky)
0.864
(`..860
1.13
50?C
Coagulating point
6,?C
Paraffin content (Golde )
1.71
Paraffin felting point
56?c%
Sulphur content
(..38
Resins content
4 ,
Coke content Conradson
=531
,sphaltic hatter content
,3of,
Acid content in 'n3
0. n92/
jr, Ziangeri_Crude.
Specific gravity at 15?C
0.901
it at 2r,?C
..897
Engler viscosity at 50?C
1.35
Coagulating point 1a1ow
- 20?C
ResinA content
1^~17
f' t in ,moo t
10,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
V. Rk;FIIr Ii G .
Since 1935 the Sakhalin crude oil is being refined at
Habarovsk on the Siberian mainland (See index map of Sakhalin
hereto attached), where a first distillation plant has been
constructed by the Soviets with an original daily intake ca-
pacity of 4,20f? barrels. however, wit,,-- the gradual increase
of crude production in, the Sakhalin Isl Ord, this refinery was
unable to treat the total aroun.t of crude available, and lar-
ge quantities of sane had to be either exported, or accu ula-
ted in earthen pits in Sakhalin oil fields, or even burned as
fuel.
To reredy this unsatisfactory situation the Soviets have
taken the followin measures; 1. The daily intake capacity of
the iabarovsk refinery was increased, after its reconstruc -
tion in l938, up to 7,000 bhls; and 2. teen new first distills-
tion plants were constructed in 1740/41 at ?i.kolaievsk"on-
Amur and at Korsorolsk with a daily intake capcity of
barrels each. Tht.s, since 1940 the total quantities of cru-
de which are being produced in the Northern Sakhalin nil field
can be treated in the above three refineries. The Nik:elcievsk
refinery, situated in the estuary of the Amur river is linked
with the Okha oil field by a pipe line reaching the ,vest.. rn
coast of the Island and long about 90 kilometers. Local field
pipe-lines unite Ehabi and other oil fields of the Eastern)
coast of Sakhalin to the rain Sakhalin I.ipe-.line.
In addition to the first distillation plants, cracking
plants were erected by the Soviets, at Habarovsk (in. 1935),
at l4ikolaievsk on Amur and at Komsorolsk (in 1('440/41) .
The actual refining and cracking cr.paei_ties of the Dal-
heft (Far East Oil) is as follows,.-
Location. Type of F:iant
Dail y_ intake Date of
Capacity. r;nn____r_ruction s
Daily Capacities are shown in barrels of 42U.S. Gallons.
1abarovsk-1 Topping 1"1.ant
(Soviet design)
iUk.olaievsk- 1 Pipe--still
(Badger type-Soviet
construction)
Komsomolsk-- 1 P ire-still
( cao. n true :on oviet
7, non
17 j 5jl938 ?) #
1540/ 1941
154 0/ 194L
Total first distill ion plants: 21,' ' is,
----------------------------------------------------------------
ehecons .ructe, in
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
Cracking Plants.
Gallons.
Location - ire of _1P.nt, Daily cracking Late of
Capacitit _ ? srii~ructior.,
nbarovsk - 1 Cracking unit
(Sr,viet Construction
Winkler-Koch design)
3,500
l9 5
Icikolaievsk
1
Crackingg unit
3, 50c
194 0/41
Kowsorolsk
^
(Soviet Construction
Winkler-Koch design)
1 Cracking unit
(Soviet Construction
31500
144n/41
Winkler-Koch design)
oTir~r : sst Cra- can; opacity 1? j~? bb,
--------------------------------------------------------------
VI CFI;r.RAL SUluWARY AIL C0iiCLUSI NS,
Su ring up the producing situation in the Sakhalin Is-
oil fields of the Dalneft (okha, Ehabi, Katan -1i, Eastern
Ehabi, Ivutovo _ developed on the wholes ttisfactorily in 194-9,
des.-ite the fact that the plan quota was not achieved during,
last year. This situ tticn seeped to h'=tve iwproved, however,
during the first half of 1950, when the quarterly production
schedules were fulfilled by the Sakha,a in oil fields e The
further developrent of crude rroduction in Sakha.li.n is such
delayed due to the small average stabilized per well yields,
a relatively slow progre'.s. of exploitation drilling and gene-
ral technical difficulties of local characters
As regards new discoveries, the bringing into production
by the Lalneft since the end of the war of two new fields,
narely: Eastern Ehahi and Nutovo (1947) can be 'entioned as
a positive fact in the operation of this organization, The
Soviets, in spite of considerable difficulties of ' eographi--
cal, geological (col I icsted tect-nics of oi.lbeari._rig struc--
tur. es) and technical mature( the lack of rodern technical
equil- ent, the inadequacy of co runicatinns in this rerote
and wild country, etc. ), continue, if with a great slowness
to increase the crude production in the Northern part of the
Island.
24.
Daily ca _capacities, are shown in bar-rals of 4L-1 U.,,-.),.
ruff
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
The intensification of crude pror?..uction i. the Sakha-
lin oil fields is due in sore cases to the utilization of
secondary exploitation rethods, such as gas lift, for ins-.
tan.ce, which are being practiced now rt Okha and ;habi>.
Fuurtherrore, a systematic geological and geophysical
surveying is being carried out in the most interesting ex-
ploration areas of the Island, including its Southern part.
Considerable efforts are being rd.e by the Soviets in
order to improve the cormunications in the Island: new roads
are under construction; ports are being; modernized; local
pipe-lines are being laid. The aff ux of new imrrig rants
in large numbers since the end of the war is bound to facil-
litate the solution of the labour problem, as well as that
of forrr-ation of new Technicians for the oil industry of the
Island,
Nevertheless, the progress of the 6akhaiin's develop-
rent is3 much hampered by the very wild(:rness of the countr-%r
the hardships of its climate and its remoteness fron largeV
industrial centres of the
The irobierr of technical egiiitpprrent of oil fields and
the.f supplying of exploration an.ddrilling parties with
every kind of necessary modern machinery and. a;paratus is
also far from a definite solution. The lack of acon^odR-
tion for technicians and. labour is responsible to a great
extent for continuous delays in bringing up the nurber of
personnel to the level of local requirements,
The further development of crude oil roduction in the
Sakhalin Island should be considered as one of the main
elements of the building u, by the Soviets of a regional
ep troletum b a s e the Far East, Up to the present, investi
gations for oil in Siberia did not give any definite results
oi- industrial importance, although surface oil seel;ages are
being encountered in various parts of` Siberian mainland, and
exploration work was resumed in a number of are,-as since the
end of the war.
Therefore, Sakhalin o f -~ f e , ~ s, to ,ether with three
refining centres on the Siberian continent, n.ar-ely: at .liaba
ro , Licolaievsk ;on and Komsomolsk, 4See the Index
Map of Sakhalin attached to the present report) form, so f.4r
the only producing and ref,n 'ng organization created by the
- alneft in the Soviet Far East, which has to supply with
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 144-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
various petroleum products the requirements of the Scviet Far
Eastern economy.
With the ;radual colonizaticn and intiustrializata on of
these territories, however, the horeriarke;t' s demand for these
Products_.steatily increases, and further growth of domestic
oil consumption has to be expected in the Soviet Fear East for
the immediate future.
Under these circumstances, the creation of a_large oil
suc ir hase in this r,Zion seems tebe as problem of a great
urreneyfor the ,$oeiets, Consequently, new efforts towards
the cute sifigation_of 1 e g --Z
leum ressources will be made by the Soviets in or. der to safe.
guard :j.. _indtxstriglizat~.S.
toriese
Finally, the development of crude production in the Far
East is connected with another important I:roblem, that of suj-
,Ply of China (and Kore~_ with etro1cum products. The oil ex-
Dorts_can be carried out by the Soviets ornl; c ,_.veMrited.
scale, in view of the continuous increase of the domestic de-
mand for petroleum products? It can be expectei, therefore,
that the crude oil production would. be intensified in Manchu-
ria and Kan"Su yrovince with the help of .the Soviet technicians
and that the investi ations for. f,troleuri could be active
continual in the Sin-Kiar province by the joint effort of the
Soviets and the Chinese,,
26
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP83-00415R006800060003-7