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Tengiz is approximately 250 kilometers east from Atyrau town, where my office is located. We had to go down for work. It’s a remote place with little to recommend it except for the vast reservoirs of oil located under the surface. While there I took a few photos. Getting there was fun. Taking a train for 4 hours then a transfer to a coach for a45 minute ride to the accommodation units.
The journey crossed a vast flat land. Nothing of interest to see. Few trees and little vegetation. Arriving the only indication of anything is building, again just ‘plonked’ in the fastness.
Project site is about 40 kilometers by 40 kilometers. All flat and no trees or any other land marks. Absolutely flat.
Only things of note were the accommodation units set up to cater for 5,000 workers, offices and of course the oil fields. On our travels to the southern part of the area we came across a small grave yard which had been constructed around 1936, so about 80 years old. One section had been badly eroded by the wind. On close inspection I noted the blocks had been made out of local mud and a sort of wattle or grass used as reinforcement. Hence the wind erosion taking this away first and leaving the mortar joints intact.
We did see a heard of horses in the distance but to far away to get a decent photo. Also some swifts and swallows. Again no photos but one lizards decided to show himself and his I did photo.
The panoramic photo was taken by Sergey. Beautiful colouring.