Samotlor Field, Oil field in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia.
Samotlor Field is an oil field near Lake Samotlor in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug of western Siberia. The site spreads across flat taiga terrain and ranks among the largest petroleum deposits on the planet.
Geologists discovered oil in this region in 1965 during an exploration campaign in the Siberian taiga. Extraction began four years later and reshaped the economic development of the entire autonomous district.
The field contributed to the growth of Nizhnevartovsk from a small settlement into a major industrial city centered around petroleum production.
The field sits in a remote area with no public access and is operated by specialized workers. Visitors need special permits and must be accompanied by authorized company personnel.
The name Samotlor comes from the Khanty language and roughly means dead water, referring to the still waters of the nearby lake. This lake once served as a landmark for indigenous hunters before petroleum exploration arrived.
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