History
The first experimental oil-well was opened on March 27, 1900 near Moravian village Bohuslavice (today part of Kyjov), the second opened in the same year. Since the extraction would be too costly the area was abandoned until 1917. In 1919 the company Moravská těžařská společnost opened the first commercial well. In 1925 the company owned 25 wells in the area. During World War II the industry became strategically important for German war effort - the largest company, DEA (Deutsche Erdöl A.G.), had 1,200 wells just around Hodonín. Refineries bombed during the Oil Campaign of World War II included those at Brüx, Bratislava (Apollo refinery), Dubová, Kralupy, Kolín, and Pardubice (Fanto Werke).
On January 1, 1946 all existing oil drilling companies were merged into single organisation, Československé naftové závody (ČNZ). This new company had 1,858 employees in 1948. In 1958 the company merged with similar organisation from Slovakia and named Moravské naftové doly. In 1990 the Slovakian part became independent.
Currently, the company Moravské naftové doly, a.s. operates the wells, underground gas storage facilities and crude oil processing plants. In 2005 the company had 618 employees.
Read more about this topic: Oil And Gas Deposits In The Czech Republic
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