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Early Years and Rising Talent
Alexey E. Kontorovich was born in Kharkov, Ukraine SSR, in 1934. Since 1941 and until the last days, his life story was inseparably connected with Siberia. He went to school in the town of Prokopyevsk, Kemerovo region, which he finished in 1951 with a gold medal, and followed the path of learning. In 1956, he graduated from the Physics Department of the Tomsk State University and worked there as a research assistant for two years.
At that time, TSU boasted the highest percentage of graduates who have achieved leadership positions in their fields. Many of its late 1930s-1940s graduates became full members (academicians V.V. Boldyrev, V.E. Zuev, V.A. Karateev, V.E. Panin, G.V. Sakovich, V.V. Reverdato) and corresponding members (A.N. Didenko, M.V. Kabanov, S.D. Tvorogov, etc.) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Later the pleiad of eminent scientists embraced the scientific genius of A.E. Kontorovich.
Next destination Novosibirsk and SNIIGGiMS
In 1958, Alexey moved to Novosibirsk and joined the team of a newly organized research institute SNIIGGiMS (Siberian Research Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineral Resources), where he worked for 30 years, and made his way from a young specialist, an engineer, up to DSc in geology and mineralogy, senior research fellow (professor), and then to deputy director for science.
SNIIGGiMS was his true research alma mater where he independently made a remarkable transition to a petroleum geologist and became a world-class scientist in this field. The studies by Alexey Kontorovich greatly contributed to the formation and development of the oil-and-gas sector in Western Siberia.
In 1964 he defended his PhD thesis, and doctoral thesis in 1968. In 1971, he was awarded the title of professor.
In the period of work at SNIIGGIMS, Alexey Kontorovich promoted fruitful collaboration among the academic community represented by such outstanding scientists and organizers of geological exploration activities as M.T. Abasov, M.D. Belonin, N.B. Vassoevich, G.A. Gabrielants, I.S. Gramberg, F.G. Gurari, V.A. Dvurechensky, G.E. Dickenshtein, A.N. Zolotov, A.M. Zoteev, I.A. Ivanov, V.I. Igrevsky, V.P. Kazarinov, M.K. Kalinko, K.A. Kleshchev, E.A. Kozlovsky, V.A. Kondrashov, V.M. Krasnoplov, S.P. Maksimov, M.M. Mandelbaum, N.V. Melnikov, V.D. Nakariakov, V.D. Nalivkin, S.G. Neruchev, I.I. Nesterov, A.V. Ovcharenko, V.P. Orlov, L.I. Rovnin, N.N. Rostovtsev, F.K. Salmanov, V.V. Samsonov, G.P. Sverchkov, V.V. Semenovich, V.G. Sibgatulin, V.S. Staroseltsev, R.A. Sumbatov, V.S. Surkov, D.B. Tal’virsky, E.A. Teplyakov, A.A. Trofimuk, E.E. Fotiadi, F.Z. Khafizov, G.P. Khudorozhkov, V.I. Shpilman, V.P. Shcherbakov, Yu.G. Ervier.
Activities within the Siberian Branch of the USSR (Russian) Academy of Sciences
In 1989, A.E. Kontorovich was invited to work at the Siberian Branch (SB) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Since that time, A.E. Kontorovich worked under umbrella of the SB USSR (presently, Russian) Academy of Sciences as deputy director of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (1989-1992), deputy director of the Integrated Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineralogy of the Siberian Branch of RAS (OIGGiM SB RAS) (1992-2006) heading the Department of Geology (1992-1997). The last years of his life A.E. Kontorovich dedicated to the Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics (IPGG SB RAS), which was set up after reorganization of OIGGiM SB RAS (2006) and named after A.A. Trofimuk (2007). After serving as the director (2006 -2007) of IPGG SB RAS, Alexey Kontorovich was appointed the scientific advisor and stayed in this position until he died in October 2023.
In 1990 he was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and in 1991 – a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Since 1992, academician A.E. Kontorovich was a member of the Department of Earth Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, since 1997 – a member of the SB RAS Presidium.
A.E. Kontorovich paid great attention to scientific and organizational activities at the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Siberian Branch RAS. He was Chairman of the Scientific Board of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the problems of geology and development of oil and gas fields and coal deposits, a member of the SB RAS Presidium, a member of the Bureau of the RAS Department of Earth Sciences, a member of the Global Energy Prize International Award Committee, deputy editor-in-chief of the Geologiya i Geofizika (Russian Geology and Geophysics) journal, a member of the editorial boards of a number of Russian and foreign scientific journals.
Scientific achievements
Alexey E. Kontorovich was a world-famous expert in oil and gas geology, organic geochemistry, and mathematical geology. The studies by Alexey Kontorovich have greatly contributed to: the formation and development of the oil-and-gas sector in Western Siberia; the evolution of oil generation theory; the theory and methods of quantitative prediction of oil and gas occurrence; the theory and methods of petroleum exploration; economics of the oil and gas industry; scientific substantiation and discovery of the West Siberian, Lena-Tunguska and Lena-Vilyui petroleum provinces; theoretical substantiation and discovery of pre-Cambrian oil and gas. He also carried out a profound research work in the field of assessment of world and regional oil and gas reserves and resources.
His Doctoral Thesis was dedicated to geochemical methods of evaluating the potential oil/gas occurrence in big territories: the study was based on the example of Mesozoic deposits of the West Siberian Plate. The monographies published by Kontorovich after he defended his Doctoral Thesis were dedicated to petroleum geology in Western Siberia (1975), forecasting the occurrence of hydrocarbons fields (1981), and the prospects of developing the feedstock base in the northern West Siberia (2010).
Statesman and scientist
A.E. Kontorovich was above all a statesman to whom Russia’s interests were of primary importance. He was actively involved in the development of the strategic documents defining priority areas of social and economic development of the country, primarily the fuel and energy complex, programs to strengthen the raw material base of the oil and gas industry, strategies for adding new oil and gas production capacities.
As a leader of R&D teams and research projects, Alexey Kontorovich was indeed their mover and shaker. He was one of the results- and innovation-focused leader concerned with large-scale practical application of the research results.
Back in the 1970s - 90s, he was actively involved in the development of comprehensive programs for oil and gas exploration in Western Siberia, Eastern Siberia and Yakutia. A.E. Kontorovich participated in exploration of oil and gas fields in these regions, in quantitative assessment of the prospects of their petroleum potential, as well as in the discovery and exploration programs planning for many fields (Yurubchen-Tokhomskoe, Sobinskoe, Verkhnechonskoe, Dulisminskoe, Srednebotuobinskoe, Chayandinskoe, Talakanskoe, etc.).
In the 80s of the 20th century, A.E. Kontorovich guided development of the program for oil gas reserves quantification in the large Vankor-Suzun petroleum region. In the 90s and early 21st century, he was recognized as one of the most influential leaders in fundamental and applied research providing substantiation of oil and gas production centers in Eastern Siberia and in the Russian Far East, as well as placement of new centers of gas processing, petrochemical manufacturing locations, and helium-production plants. With backing from academicians A.A. Trofimuk and N.V. Chersky, he advocated the idea of Russian oil and gas exports to gain a foothold in the APR markets. A.E. Kontorovich proposed and justified the change in the route of the Eastern Siberia − Pacific Ocean (ESPO) crude oil pipeline (instead of going through Buryatia, it was built through the Sakha Republic), which increased the investment attractiveness of commissioning many oil and gas fields.
He was one of the academic experts who played a major role in the preparatory work of numerous documents for governmental strategies: the Strategy for the Economic Development of Siberia approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, the Energy Strategy of Russia until 2030, the General Scheme for the Development of the Russian Gas Industry for the period up to 2030, the Strategy for the Development of the Petrochemical Industry of Russia until 2030, etc. A.E. Kontorovich was often invited to speak at parliamentary hearings in the Federation Council and the State Duma, stayed in close contact with the Offices of Plenipotentiary representatives of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts, and a number of ministries of the Russian Federation.
He actively worked in the regions and interacted with the administrations of the Yamal-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Areas, Krasnoyarsk and Altai Territories, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), as well as the Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk and Tyumen regions. He focused on the problems of socio-economic development in these regions, subsoil use, development of geological exploration, oil, gas and coal industries, and personnel training.
Alexey Kontorovich and his team of scientists successfully implemented various projects and tasks commissioned by the ministries and government agencies of the Russian Federation.
Kemerovo Scientific Center SB RAS
Since 2008, in parallel with his primary responsibilities and petroleum-related research work commitments, academician A.E. Kontorovich headed the Kemerovo Scientific Center SB RAS. While fulfilling the task commissioned by the SB RAS Presidium and Governor of the Kemerovo Region, he systematically restructured the scientific center, thus boosting its activities notwithstanding the existing challenges, which allowed implementing at large the new strategy of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the development of academic science in Kuzbass. Today, the Kemerovo Scientific Center is known as the Federal Research Centre Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a center of breakthrough knowledge and advanced competencies. The Center promotes cooperation in research, development and innovation (RD&I), including educational programs, with the leading universities of the Kemerovo region : Kemerovo State University (KSU) and Kuzbass State Technical University (KuzSTU).
The Gubernskie Chteniya Conference (i.e. regional academic readings) initiated by academician Kontorovich are still regularly held in Kuzbass where leading researchers and lecturers (RAS corresponding members, world–famous scientists, PhDs and professors) speak to university teachers, undergraduate and graduate students. A.E. Kontorovich was a member of the Board of Trustees of KuzSTU, the largest university in the region.
Collaboration with industry players
A.E. Kontorovich was highly appraised by both academic and business communities. He often represented IPGG SB RAS in dialogue and collaboration with major oil and gas companies from Russia (Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazpromneft, Sibneft, Transneft, etc.), as well as from Western Europe, the USA, Northeast Asia, Australia (BP Exploration Operating Co Ltd., CNPC, ConocoPhillips RUSSIA INC, ExxonMobil Exploration International Limited, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), Sinopec, Shell Exploration and Production Services (RF) B. V., etc.), which often resulted in joint research works under cooperation agreements. Many of the delivered reports (project results) were prepared under guidance of A.E. Kontorovich.
Higher educational activities
The Department of Oil and Gas Field Geology, Novosibirsk State University, founded and headed for many years by Aleksey Kontorovich, still trains skilled specialists in oil and gas geology and geochemistry. Alongside with that, he was regularly invited as a guest-lecturer at Moscow State University, Tomsk State University and Tomsk Polytechnic University, and Tyumen State Petroleum University.
A.E. Kontorovich was elected a Professor Emeritus of the China Petroleum University, Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences (PR China), Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk State University, All-Russia Petroleum Research Exploration Institute (VNIGRI).
School of thought
The school of thought established by Alexey E. Kontorovich during the years of his work at SNIIGGiMS was fruitful from the very beginning. Many postgraduate students from Russia (V.I. Berilko, L.S. Borisova, L.M. Burshtein, V.P. Danilova, V.I. Demin, D.I Drobot, V.M. Evtushenko, Yu.G. Zimin, M.M. Kolganova, A.D. Lugovtsev, A.A. Rastegin, O.F. Stasova, P.A. Trushkov, A.S. Fomichev, etc.), as well as scientists from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan) defended more than 80 PhD theses under his scientific supervision. Over 30 of his postgraduate students became doctors of science.
Among the disciples of A.E. Kontorovich some are known to have been experts in petroleum exploration and production or headed upstream segment of the oil and gas industry in Siberia since the Soviet era, such as V.E. Bakin, E.E. Danenberg, I.A. Ivanov, N.V. Koptyaev, L.L. Kuznetsov, I.G. Levchenko, G.D. Nazimkov, V.M. Tishchenko, B.L. Rybyakov and many others. The school of thought founded by A.E. Kontorovich sets particularly high standards on the level and quality of work of applicants for academic degrees. The range of scientific interests of Alexey Kontorovich was extremely diverse, and likewise the directions of scientific research of his students. Many of them have PhD and DSc degrees in geosciences and economics.
The geologists mentored by A.E. Kontorovich specialize in various fields of geoscience: geology, oil and gas fields prospecting and exploration, regional geology, tectonics, organic geochemistry, lithology, hydrogeology, mathematical geology, etc. His disciples were elected members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The scientific school of academician A.E. Kontorovich is recognized both on national scale and worldwide.
Over the decades of his fruitful activities A.E. Kontorovich contributed (including with co-authors) about 1500 scientific publications and 70 monographies.
Awards bestowed on Alexey Kontorovich :
- Ivan Gubkin Award from USSR Academy of Sciences (1974) - Medal For Labour Distinction (1974) - Bronze Medal from the USSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements (1977) - Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1981) - Prize from the Gornoe Technical Society (1982) - Ivan Gubkin Award from USSR Academy of Sciences (1984) - Silver Medal from the USSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements (1984) - Golden Medal from the USSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements (1985) - Medal For Development of West Siberian Oil and Gas Sector and Mineral Resources (1987) - Veteran of Labour Medal (1988) - Title Honoured Geologist of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1989) - RF National Award in Science and Engineering For Scientific Substantiation and Discovery of Oil and Gas Occurrence in Pre-Cambrian of Siberian Platform (1994) - Order of Honour (2000) - RF Government Prize in Science and Technology (2002) - Title Honoured Oil Worker (2003) - Excellence in Subsoil Exploration Badge (2003) - A.N. Kosygin Award (2003) - V.I. Muravlenko Award (2003) - Gold ROSING Prize from the Russian Society of Oil and Gas Engineers (2003) - Companion of the Badge of Honour Heritage of Siberia in nominated category “Science and Education” for outstanding contribution in studies of Siberian oil and gas geology (2004) - Honoured Prospector Badge (2004) - Honoured Worker of Gas Industry Badge (2004) - Fourth Class Order of Merit for the Motherland (2004) - Demidovsky Prize (2005) - Triumph Prize (2005) - Miner’s Glory Badges of I, II, and III classes (2006) - Letter of Appreciation from V.V. Putin, the President of the Russian Federation (2007) - N.K. Baibakov Prize (2007) - Medal For Contribution to the Progress of Russian Geological and Mining Survey (2007) - Winner of Global Energy International Prize (2009) - Third Class Order of Merit for the Motherland (2009) - For Service to Novosibirsk Oblast Decoration (2011) - Title Honoured Scientist of Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (2011) - M.A. Lavrentiev Prize (2013) - Second Class Medal of the Order of Merit for the Motherland (2015) - The Order of Alexander Nevsky (2022)
Memory and appreciation
According to the decision of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Local Government of the Tomsk Region, the Obskoe oilfield was renamed into “Kontorovichskoe” for A.E. Kontorovich’s great efforts undertaken to lay foundation for mineral resource assessment and prospecting in the Tomsk Region and in commemoration of his seventieth anniversary (2008).
Aleksey E. Kontorovich was granted the titles of an Honorary Citizen of Kemerovo Oblast (2009) and of the town of Prokopievsk where spent his childhood.
| 1989 – 1997 | deputy director for science / Advisors Group IPGG SB RAS |
| 1997 – 2006 | director / Directorate IPGG SB RAS |
| 2006 – 2007 | director / Advisors Group IPGG SB RAS |
| 2007 – 2023 | Chairman of the RAS Scientific Council / Advisors Group IPGG SB RAS |
| – 2023 | council member / Scientific Council IPGG SB RAS |
| – 2023 | section member / Geological Section of Scientific Council IPGG SB RAS |
| 2016 – 2023 | principal research scientist / Laboratory of Theoretical Bases of Oil and Gas Potential of the Forecast ИНГГ СО РАН |
| 2023 – 2023 | / Directorate ИНГГ СО РАН |
