OIL INDUSTRY OF THE WESTERN UKRAINIAN PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC

Abstract

The oil industry played an important role in the economy of Halychyna, being, along with forestry and agriculture, the main source of income for the region and the population. A signifi cant role in this area was given to the legislative and executive branches of government. From 1918 to 1921, more than 20 laws and bylaws regarding the regulation of the oil industry were adopted.Prior to the proclamation of the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic, oil production increased from 8 to 326,000 tons, or 40 times during 1885–1900. During the fi rst decade of the 20th century, growth was 800% and reached 1761 thousand tons. Since 1910, the productivity of wells in Boryslav had weakened. Only from 1916 production increased again, which was caused by the need to provide fuel and lubricants for military operations.After World War I, oil production developed most strongly at the Bytkivske fi eld. The Boryslav deposit was seized by a wave of post-war redistribution of capital. The market was fl ooded with French capital in the form of the «Dibrova» concern and the «Societe Francaise de Petroles Premier» company. France (53 %), Switzerland, Austria, and other European countries invested in the development of oil fi elds. During the active hostilities of 1915–1917, most of the Halychyna mines passed into the hands of the Russian tsar.Halychyna during the Austro-Hungarian period was one of the leading regions of the world, having up to 6 % of world oil production. By 1918, the share of Halychyna had dropped to 1.6 %, and by 1920 to 1.3 %. The reason was the active phase of World War I and the devaluation of the currency. Even though the number of wells increased by 30 %, oil production decreased three times (from 2080 to 700 thousand tons). During 1905–1920, 17.69 million tons of oil were extracted in Halychyna.Western Ukrainian People’s Republic got the oil industry in decline and disorganization.From 1919, when Halychyna was occupied by Polish troops, the redistribution of property at the expense of German and Austrian businessmen began. Due to the high cost of deep drilling, oil producers explored promising oil fi elds in Urych, Oriv, Kropyvnyk, Bytkiv, Pasichna, Krościenko, Garklova, and others.Halychyna oil was processed at 64 refi neries, the largest of which were in Central and Eastern Europe: «Państwowa Fabryka Olejów Mineralnych», «Limanowa», «Trzebinia», «Galicja», «Nafta» and others.Halychyna during the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Polish occupation was the largest, after Romania, an oil producer and refi ner in Europe. More than a third of the products of oil refi neries and crude oil were exported to Austria (40 %), Germany (23 %), and Czechoslovakia (20 %).