Enigmatic oil rocks face uncertain futures as decay and disrepair grip their foundations

Nestled in obscurity, the little-known Soviet-era city of Oil Rocks, also known as Neft Daşları, stands as a relic of a bygone era, poised on the precipice of a bleak fate.

Constructed in 1949 amidst the expanse of the Caspian Sea, approximately 40km off the coast of Azerbaijan, Oil Rocks emerged as the pioneering offshore oil platform, earning a place in the annals of history within the Guinness World Book of Records. Commissioned by Joseph Stalin to tap into the vast subaquatic oil reservoirs, Oil Rocks symbolized a triumph of Soviet engineering, laying the groundwork for Azerbaijan’s burgeoning oil industry.

Spanning a sprawling expanse of 17 miles, Oil Rocks once thrived as a bustling metropolis of industry, boasting a labyrinth of 2,000 drilling platforms at its zenith. Equipped with essential amenities and infrastructure, including power plants, a boiler house, and medical facilities, the city accommodated a population of up to 5,000 residents during its halcyon days.

However, the passage of time has not been kind to Oil Rocks. Ravaged by neglect and decay, the city now stands as a shadow of its former self, its once bustling thoroughfares reduced to mere remnants, submerged beneath the encroaching sea. A poignant testament to its decline, apartment blocks lie partially inundated, while infrastructure crumbles under the weight of neglect.

Despite its dilapidated state, the prospect of dismantling Oil Rocks remains prohibitive, with the cost far outweighing the benefits. As oil reserves dwindle and the spectre of obsolescence looms large, Oil Rocks languish in a state of limbo, a relic of a bygone era destined to fade into the annals of history.

With each passing day, the enigmatic city teeters on the brink of collapse, its fate inexorably intertwined with the ebb and flow of the Caspian Sea. As the sands of time continue to shift, Oil Rocks stands as a haunting reminder of humanity’s fleeting legacy, poised to slip beneath the waves and vanish into the depths of obscurity.