Ba Cu Street in Vung Tau, a journey of historical connection with the Oil and Gas industry

Ba Cu Street in Vung Tau, a journey of historical connection with the Oil and Gas industry

A corner of Ba Cu Street today extending to the sea in Vung Tau City

Ba Cu is one of the main and busiest streets in Vung Tau city. The name of this street comes from the special relationship between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, which was founded during President Ho Chi Minh 's visit to Azerbaijan on July 23, 1959. At that time, when visiting the Oil Industrial Zone in Baku (Bacu) city of Azerbaijan, President Ho Chi Minh told the leaders and oil and gas engineers of the Soviet Union in general and Azerbaijan in particular: "I think Vietnam has a sea, we will definitely have oil, but we are at war, so we cannot do it yet. I hope and believe that after Vietnam's resistance is victorious, you comrades will help us find oil, then help exploit and process oil, and build an oil and gas industrial zone like Bacu".

That was the birth speech of our country's oil and gas industry. President Ho Chi Minh showed a very far-sighted vision when he recognized the important role of oil and gas in the development of the country right from the time when our whole country was still busy with the fight to expel foreign invaders and their lackeys to regain independence, freedom and unity. He set the requirement that Vietnam not only exploit oil and gas but also build a strong oil and gas industry like Baku. His far-sighted vision and wish have become the aspiration, belief and goal of many generations of "fire seekers". That has been the guiding principle throughout the direction of the Party, the Government, and the resolutions of the Politburo on the development strategy of Vietnam's oil and gas industry over the past 60 years.

According to some documents, oil and gas were discovered in Baku since the 8th century. By the 15th century, Baku people knew how to exploit oil and gas from open-pit and shallow mines to supply the market. By the 19th century, Baku had a huge number of oil wells located on the largest oil fields in the world . When Azerbaijan joined the Soviet Union, Baku became the center of the Soviet oil and gas industry. This is also where Baku University of Petroleum and Chemistry was located, the number 1 university in the oil and gas industry in the Soviet Union and also a world-famous university at that time.

Ba Cu Street in Vung Tau and Vung Tau Street in the capital Baku of Azerbaijan

In response to President Ho Chi Minh's request, Soviet experts actively supported Vietnam in laying the foundation for the oil and gas industry. On November 27, 1961, the General Department of Geology of our country decided to establish the Oil Exploration Group, No. 36 (commonly known as Geological Group 36) with the important task of researching, searching and exploring oil and gas in Vietnam's seas with the support of Soviet experts. In 1966, the first 8 Vietnamese students were sent to study at the Baku University of Petroleum and Chemistry. After that, along with the growth of the Vietnamese oil and gas industry, the number of Vietnamese students studying oil and gas in Azerbaijan also increased. These students later became experts and good leaders of our country's oil and gas industry.

In the 80s of the 20th century, when Vung Tau city was shaped into the oil and gas center of Vietnam, similar to the city of Baku in Azerbaijan (Soviet Union), on the occasion of Vung Tau and Baku being twinned, Nguyen Thai Hoc street - the main street of Vung Tau - was renamed Ba Cu city (Vietnamese transliteration of the city of Baku). At the same time, Baku city also decided to name a street here Vungtau.

Today, Ba Cu Street is not only a simple street but also a cultural and architectural symbol of Vung Tau. Ba Cu Street is not only a place to remember the past but also a clear demonstration of the remarkable development of the oil and gas industry in Vietnam. From the early years when Vung Tau oil and gas was just a new industry, until now, this has been one of the locations with an important role in the energy industry of the whole country.

From the great vision of President Ho Chi Minh and with the wholehearted support of the Soviet Union and Azerbaijan, our country's oil and gas industry has grown stronger and stronger, becoming an important pillar of the national economy, bringing in extremely important foreign currency for our country to import machinery, equipment, and technological lines, overcoming the difficult years of the subsidized economy, rebuilding the country after the resistance war against the US, saving the country. Now, the small Geological Group 36 has grown into the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam) with total consolidated assets of nearly 43 billion USD, consolidated equity of approximately 23 billion USD and a team of nearly 60,000 officers and employees who are working hard in all areas of the oil and gas value chain, not only domestically but also globally.

Mr. Tran Van Hoi - former Deputy General Director of Vietsovpetro emotionally recalled: In 2005, we welcomed Ms. Pham Thi Xuan Phuong (who was the secretary and interpreter for Uncle Ho in Bacu in 1959) to visit Vung Tau, on the occasion of Vietsovpetro exploiting the 150 millionth ton of oil and receiving the First Class Independence Medal. She was very happy to see that Uncle Ho's instructions and wishes had been fulfilled. She met Vietnamese and Russian oil and gas workers, and together with Soviet friends and oil and gas colleagues in Vung Tau, walked on Ba Cu street in joy and happiness about the journey connecting the history of oil and gas of our country. And recently in Vung Tau, the Vietsovpetro Joint Venture held a ceremony to celebrate the reception of the 250 millionth ton of oil, which once again affirmed that "Oil and gas workers have successfully fulfilled Uncle Ho's wishes".

Ba Cu Street in Vung Tau is a testament to the strong development of the Vietnamese Oil and Gas industry. Through the beauty of classical architecture, the blend of culinary culture and the journey of the people who have come here, Ba Cu Street connects history with the present, leaving a deep impression in the hearts of those who have visited and loved Vung Tau, to see the growth of the country's Oil and Gas industry in "The journey of connecting history, helping the Vietnamese Oil and Gas industry to rise and develop to a new height".

Ba Cu Street is not only a place to remember the past but also a clear demonstration of the remarkable development of the oil and gas industry in Vietnam. From the early years when Vung Tau oil and gas was just a new industry, until now, this has been one of the locations with an important role in the country's energy industry.

Red Rose

Source: https://www.pvn.vn/chuyen-muc/tap-doan/tin/573dd20c-5adb-4f3d-96da-4c0aaa4d3092