The modern Borislav is a small town in Lviv region, where annually 4% of Ukrainian oil is mined. But not everyone knows that about 100 years ago, they extracted 5% of the world's oil!
At the beginning of the XIX century, oil was not of any value: it was greased with wagons and hoes from rust, veterinarians were treating her sheep. Therefore, in Orel, Ozokerite deposits, which were used for the production of candles, wire insulation and for medical purposes, were considered more valuable.
When in the middle of the XIX century Lviv pharmacist Jan Zeg invented a method for purifying black gold and oil began to be used in kerosene lamps, the price for it instantly increased. And since then in Borislav began a real oil rush.
In a few years, 75 large and about 800 small enterprises from all over Europe and the world have already worked on oil production here. For example, the Canadian McGarvey earned a fantastic sum of 1 million 600 thousand crowns for the year. And one of the legends says that even the young Rockefeller came here.In Borislav, the railway was built, after 3 a year after it appeared in Kiev. Approaching the city, you could feel the sharp smell of oil. Only the well "Oil City" daily from the depth of 1 kilometer gave 3 000 tons of oil.
In 1909, nearly 2 million tons of oil was extracted from the Ukrainian bowels - actually those 5% of world production. Subsequently, Borislav lost the lead in the production of black gold to the United States, Russia, Romania.
And in our time the oil sheiks live mainly in the Middle East.