On October 24, 2023, Alexey E. Kontorovich, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, an outstanding scientist in the field of fundamental and applied problems of petroleum geology, a prominent petroleum geoscientist renowned for his approaches for tackling existing challenges in the Russian energy complex, a statesman and our dearest Teacher, passed away.
Alexey E. Kontorovich was born on January 28, 1934 in Kharkov, the Ukrainian SSR. In 1941, he was evacuated with his mother and sister to the city of Prokopyevsk, Kemerovo region, where he graduated with a gold medal from school in 1951 and became a student of Tomsk State University.
After graduation from the Physics Department, TSU, in 1956, Alexey Kontorovich worked as a teacher in the Bolshoy Kerlegesh village school (Prokopyevsk district, Kemerovo region) for two years.
A significant period of his life (from 1958 to 1989) was devoted to scientific activities of the Siberian Research Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineral Resources (SNIIGGiMS), where through hard work and dedication he worked his way from lab assistant up to science deputy director. Since 1989, Alexey E. Kontorovich worked at the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences (later, the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences - SB RAS) as Deputy Director of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (1989-1992), Deputy Director of the Joint Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineralogy SB RAS (1992-2006), Deputy Director of the Institute of Geology SB RAS (1992-1997).
From 1997 to 2006, he headed the Institute of Petroleum Geology SB RAS, a successor of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences founded by Academician Andrei A. Trofimuk (since 2006, the Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics (IPGG SB RAS)). In the years to follow, Academician A.E. Kontorovich was the principle scientific advisor to the IPGG SB RAS and the Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry SB RAS in Kemerovo.
Alexey E. Kontorovich “a self-made geochemist”, as he would say, successfully defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of sciences (in geology and mineralogy) titled “Geochemistry of Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous deposits in relation to assessment of the prospects of their petroleum potential” in 1964 and four years later (1968) his obtained his Dr Sci degree in geochemistry (on “Geochemical methods for evaluation of petroleum potential within large areas on the example of Mesozoic deposits within the West Siberian plate”). in 1971 he earned the title of professor. He was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1990, and a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1991.
Despite the fact that A.E. Kontorovich became a world famous scientist in the area of geochemistry of the organic matter of rocks, his research interests covered a much wider range of objects, phenomena and problems: from the bases of sedimentary migration theory of oil and gas formation (generation), geology, stratigraphy and lithology of sedimentary basins to the regional and global economics of the oil and gas industry.
Alexey E. Kontorovich played a formative role in developing the modern postulates of the sedimentary migration (organic) theory of the origin of oil and gas, quantitative forecasts of oil and gas potential, theory and methods for petroleum prospecting and exploration, economics of the oil and gas industry, the in-depth study of the West Siberian, Lena-Tunguska and Lena-Vilyui petroleum provinces, theoretical justification and discovery of Precambrian oil and gas in Eastern Siberia. Under his guidance, a series of research works for global and regional estimates of petroleum wealth was conducted.
A.E. Kontorovich is the author and co–author of more than 1 000 scientific papers, including more than 50 monographs.
Academician Kontorovich was actively engaged in developing various strategies for social and economic development of Russia, primarily, those related to the fuel and energy complex; programs and strategies aimed at strengthening the raw material base of the oil and gas industry. Alexey Emilievich made prominent contributions to developing the "”Strategy for the Economic Development of Siberia”, ”Energy Strategy of Russia until 2030”, “General Scheme of the Russian gas industry development for the period up to 2030”, “Strategy for the Russian petrochemical industry Development until 2030” and many other government and departmental white papers. He played a crucial role in scientific justification of the routing and construction of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline. One oilfield in the Tomsk Region was named after him.
Alexey E. Kontorovich was equally good at scientific and organizational activities. He was a member of SB RAS Presidium (since 1997 till the end) and Earth Sciences Department of RAS (1992 to 2022), the chair of the RAS Research Council on Problems of Geology and Development of Oil, Gas and Coal Deposits (since 2000), a member of the International Committee of the Global Energy Prize. Under instructions of the RAS Presidium Alexey E. Kontorovich successfully implemented reorganization of the Kemerovo Scientific Center SB RAS, organized two new institutes, a Center for collective Use and created on their basis the unique Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry in Russia.
He did much for training of young scientists and was always seeking ways to support them. Together with V.S. Vyshemirsky and A.A. Trofimuk, he established the Oil and Gas Field Geology Section within Department of Geology and Geophysics at Novosibirsk State University (NSU) and led it for thirty years. For many years he had been a guest lecturer at Tomsk Polytechnic University and Tyumen Industrial University, and was elected honorary professor of Tomsk State University, Chinese Petroleum University, etc. Under his guidance and / or supervision, more than a hundred candidate (PhD) and dozens of doctoral (Dr Sci) dissertations have been defended. Several of his students became full and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Among the many awards bestowed on A.E. Kontorovich were the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, two orders “For Service to the Fatherland” (III and IV degree), Order of Merit, medal “For Development of Mineral Resources and Development of the West Siberian Oil and Gas Complex,” etc. He was awarded the titles of the Honored Geologist of the Russian Federation, Honored Worker of the Oil Industry, and Honored Worker of the Gas Industry. A.E. Kontorovich was the winner of the Global Energy International Prize (2009), the State Prize of Russia (1994), the Russian Government Prize (2002), laureate of A. N. Kosygin (2003) and N. K. Baibakov (2007) awards, was awarded the Triumph prize (2005), Demidov Prize (2005), I. M. Gubkin Prize, and M. A. Lavrent’ev Prize (2013), etc. A.E. Kontorovich is the author and coauthor of more than 900 scientific publications, has registered 4 inventions, and has been granted 3 patents.
Alexey E. Kontorovich received honorary citizenship of the Kemerovo region and the city of Prokopyevsk, where he spent his childhood.
The influence of Alexey E. Kontorovich on petroleum geosciences will be lasting for many years ahead, and the scale of the loss we have suffered is yet to be realized.
Alexey Emilievich will remain in our hearts as the Teacher, Mentor, Leader, Colleague, Friend.
IPGG SB RAS staff