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A shared historical past of oil on two distant continents introduced Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the U.S. to the Pennsylvania Oil Area on Wednesday for a tour of Drake Properly, close to Titusville, and several other different areas in Oil Metropolis and Franklin.
On a sunny spring morning, Drake Properly Museum curator Sue Beates led the tour by means of the museum and grounds for Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim, his workers and nearly a dozen native officers, together with Oil Metropolis Mayor Invoice Moon, Titusville Mayor Jon Crouch, Venango County Commissioners Sam Breene and Mike Dulaney, in addition to workers from the places of work of U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson and state Rep. R. Lee James.
The Republic of Azerbaijan, a transcontinental nation positioned to the north of Iran and south of Russia, has a wealthy oil historical past that dates again to the late 1840s.
“We have now pump jacks in Azerbaijan, however we don’t name them that. We name them donkeys,” Ibrahim stated as he walked the grounds of the Drake Properly Museum.
On the reproduction of Drake’s Properly, the ambassador helped Invoice Stumpf, the positioning interpreter who operates the properly, fireplace up the steam engine and blow the whistle.
Afterward, Ibrahim praised Beates as a implausible tour information and stated the museum introduced the historical past of oil in northwestern Pennsylvania in a manner that’s easy and accessible, and stated he might have spent your complete day with Stumpf.
Andrew Tabler, a fellow on the Washington Institute for Close to East Coverage who organized the go to and launched Ibrahim, stated the ambassador spoke with him about visiting Drake Properly and he inspired Ibrahim to come back throughout Oil Heritage Pageant. Nevertheless, the ambassador determined to come back earlier.
“It’s a nice honor to be right here. You already know it’s all about individuals,” stated Ibrahim, who was appointed as ambassador to the U.S. in 2021 and had served Azerbaijan as its ambassador to Turkey, amongst different authorities posts.
“After I met Andrew Tabler, I knew I might be coming right here to Venango County to odor the candy odor of crude,” the ambassador stated to the gathering. “Being right here is just the start, the start of nice ties we’re going to have…While you convert black gold to human capital, you construct relationships.”
Ibrahim advised the viewers about his nation, together with the primary oil properly drilled in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in 1846, 13 years earlier than Drake struck oil close to Titusville.
The location the place oil was struck in Baku additionally has been changed into a museum, he stated, one of many many parallels drawn between Azerbaijan and Pennsylvania oil nation.
“Who was first (in drilling for oil) doesn’t matter, we’re all individuals,” Ibrahim stated.
In his speech at Drake Properly, Ibrahim spoke of his nation’s efforts to make use of its oil wealth to type a sovereign wealth fund and diversify its financial system and “turning black gold into human capital” by offering academic alternatives to college students in Azerbaijan.
After his speech, Ibrahim introduced the Drake Properly Museum with a glass containing oil and a hand-crafted carpet from Azerbaijan.
After lunch on the museum and temporary stops at Petroleum Middle and McClintock Properly, Ibrahim spoke to college students at Oil Metropolis Excessive College and answered questions from college students within the auditorium, the place greater than 60 college students from Oil Metropolis, Franklin and Cranberry excessive colleges assembled for his speak.
The scholars’ questions ranged from the local weather of Azerbaijan and the that means of the nation’s flag in addition to the nation’s authorized and political construction, to asking Ibrahim whether or not Azerbaijan has reptiles and his favourite lizard.
After that, the ambassador and numerous native leaders then toured the Transit Constructing in Oil Metropolis. He heard from native historian Neil McElwee in regards to the many leaders of the American oil business who had been related to Normal Oil and frolicked in these halls and places of work.
On the majestic entrance stairway of the Transit Constructing, presents had been exchanged and Moon gave Ibrahim the important thing to the town.
Then the social gathering crossed the road to take a look at 100 Seneca, the previous Mellon Financial institution constructing inbuilt 1926 on the positioning of the previous Oil Metropolis Oil Trade, the place the worldwide worth of crude oil was set at one time. That constructing was razed within the Twenties to make manner for the current financial institution constructing.
The ambassador expressed nice curiosity within the constructing and plans to place a distillery on the primary flooring.
“That is the good area on Earth. I’ve by no means seen something prefer it,” Ibrahim stated as he regarded across the dusty splendor of the primary flooring of 100 Seneca whereas listening to in regards to the imaginative and prescient for renovating the constructing.
To wrap up the day’s excursions, Venango County Commissioner Albert Abramovic gave the ambassador and others a tour of the Venango County Courthouse.
“I discovered we drilled first, however you set the value for crude,” Ibrahim joked on the courthouse whereas speaking to President Decide Marie Veon in regards to the day’s occasions.
Over the course of the day, Moon, different native officers and Ibrahim mentioned establishing sister-city standing between Oil Metropolis and Baku. The small print of which are nonetheless being labored out.
The ambassador stated he plans to return to the realm later this yr.
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