Birth of Soviet geologist Raul-Yuri Georgievich Ervier

Raul-Yuri Georgievich Ervier, a Soviet geologist, head of the Main Tyumen Production Geological Administration (“Glavtyumengeologiya”), an outstanding leader, organizer of large-scale geological exploration, Hero of Socialist Labor, Lenin Prize laureate, honorary citizen Tyumen, was born in Tbilisi (Georgia) on April 16, 1909.

Ervier began his career in 1925 as an apprentice, assistant foreman at a soap factory in Tbilisi. He entered geology in 1929 as a worker of the Melitopol Gas Party of the Ukrgosburtrest.

In 1933 he graduated with honors from the Higher Engineering Courses for Geologists in Kyiv. Until August 1941 he worked in various geological organizations in Ukraine as a worker and drilling foreman.

From August 1941, Raul-Yuri Georgievich was drafted into the Red Army. During the Great Patriotic War, as part of the Southern and North Caucasian fronts, he participated in the defence of Odessa, Tuapse, Novorossiysk and Mozdok, was the commander of a separate deep drilling detachment and a separate engineer battalion. The feat of arms of Major of the Engineering Service Yuri Georgievich Ervie was awarded the Order of the Red Star and a number of military medals.

In 1945-1952 Ervier worked as a chief engineer and head of a geological exploration expedition in Moldova.  

In 1952-1955 he was sent to Tyumen Region, where he worked as the head of the South Chelyabinsk oil exploration of the Tyumen geological trust. In 1955-1958 he held the position of chief engineer, manager of the Tyumenneftegeologiya trust. In 1958-1966 he headed the Tyumen Territorial Geological Administration. In 1966-1977 he headed the Main Tyumen production geological department. By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 29, 1963, for the outstanding successes achieved in the discovery and exploration of mineral deposits, Ervier was awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle Gold Medal. In 1977-1981 he worked as Deputy Minister of Geology of the USSR.

On April 16, 1984 by the decision of the executive committee of the Tyumen City Council of People's Deputies, Ervier was awarded the title of honorary citizen of the city of Tyumen for his great contribution to the development of the national economy of Tyumen, its formation as the center of the oil and gas complex of Western Siberia.

Raul-Yuri Georgievich died on August 9, 1991 in Moscow. According to the will he was buried in Tyumen.

Ervier was one of the pioneers of the Tyumen oil, scientifically substantiating the prospects for the oil and gas potential of the West Siberian Lowland. For almost a quarter of a century, he headed the geological service of Tyumen Region. In total, during his leadership of the geological service, more than 250 oil and gas fields were explored and discovered, 112 of which were classified as large, largest and unique. At that time, based on the discoveries of geologists in Tyumen Region, the largest fuel and energy complex in the country and in the world was created. Explored oil reserves amounted to 10 billion tons, condensate - 0.5 billion tons, gas - 20 trillion cubic meters.

A large place in the work of Ervier was occupied by the social problems of geologists and their families. He contributed to the emergence of modern sports and cultural facilities, such as the sports complex "Geologist" and the Palace of Culture "Geologist", as well as recreation centers, medical institutions and others.

On April 14, 2006, in the city of Tyumen, near the former building of Glavtyumengeologiya, a monument was solemnly opened in honor of Ervier. One of the Tyumen streets is named after him.

Lit.: Биография великого подвига. 1953-2011: [Тюменская геология: годы, люди, открытия]. Тюмень, 2011; Карпов В. П. Главный геолог Тюмени // Мое достояние. Тюмень 425 [Текст]: [историко-краеведческий альманах. Тюмень, 2011. С. 260-261; Неменова Л. М. Главный геолог: [документальная повесть о лауреате Ленинской премии, начальнике Главного тюменского геологического управления Ю. Г. Эрвье]. М., 1975; Пиманов А. С. Эрвье Рауль-Юрий Георгиевич // Большая Тюменская энциклопедия [Текст]: энциклопедия. Т. 3. Р-Я. Тюмень, 2004. С. 435-436; Рауль-Юрий Георгиевич Эрвье: (к 95-летию со дня рождения) // В помощь краеведу: Материалы к календарю знаменательных и памятных дат Тюменской области на 2004 год. Тюмень, 2003. С. 45-48; Романовская О. Нефтяные горизонты Юрия Эрвье // Нефть России. 2009. № 4. С. 110-113; Стафеев О. Н. Воспоминания Ю. Г. Эрвье: личность и текст // Наука и инновации XXI века : материалы VI Открытой окруж. конф. молод. ученых (24-25 нояб. 2005 г., г. Сургут). Сургут, 2006. С. 291-292; Суворов А. Е. Почетный гражданин Тюмени Рауль-Юрий Георгиевич Эрвье // Тюменская область: исторический опыт экономического и социального развития : материалы Всерос. науч.-практ. конф., посвящ. 65-летию Тюм. обл., Тюмень, 21-23 мая 2009 г. Тюмень, 2009. С. 338-341; Труфанова Т. Возвращение Эрвье [Текст] // Сибирский посад. 2006. Апр. (№ 15). С. 8; Эрвье Ю. Г. Сибирские горизонты [Текст]: монография. Екатеринбург, 1999.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Труженики сельского хозяйства Земли Тюменской. Тюмень, 2006. Кн. 1: Далекое и близкое. С. 49.

Based on the materials from the branch of the Presidential Library in Tyumen Region