Canadian Oil and Gas Companies‘ Activities With the Former Soviet Oil Ministry: The Cold War Era 1973 - 1980

摘要

An agreement of Canadian-Soviet Cooperation in Industrial Applications of Science and Technology was signed on January 27, 1971 by the Canadian Industry Trade and Commerce Minister-Jean Luc Pepin. This agreement established a mixed Canadian-Soviet Commission of various working groups to provide cooperative technical contacts and exchanges on a systematic long-term basis.rnIn 1974, eleven major and independent oil companies formed the Canadian Drilling Research Association. The objectives were to engage in the exchange of drilling and production technology with foreign governments or entities of interest to the members of the Association.rnIn June of 1974, an Exchange Agreement was signed in Moscow between the Canadian Drilling Research Association, the Soviet Oil Ministry and Machinoexport, whereby, Soviet turbodrills and engineers would be sent to Canada. In addition, a Canadian crew would supervise the drilling and completion of a 4,000 m development well in the Soviet Arctic using Canadian-Arctic materials and expertise.rnTurbodrill engineers and a KGB officer arrived in Canada in 1976 and testing began in five wells at different sites by five different oil companies. This testing revealed that modifications were necessary before the turbodrills could effectively be used in Canada. These modifications proved to be unsuccessful and extremely disappointing to our members.rnIn 1978, relations between the two countries became strained and all communications with the Soviet's Oil Ministry were gradually halted. By 1980 no further contacts were made.