Кабимас: История нефтяной столицы Венесуэлы.

Cabimas is a city on the shore of Maracaibo Lake in Zulia State in northwestern Venezuela. In 2005, its population was around 200,859. Before 1900, Venezuela was known to possess commercial quantities of petroleum. One major find was the 'Zumaque I' well in 1914, in the area of Mene Grande, about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Cabimas. It was the blowout of the Barroso No. 2 well in Cabimas in 1922 that marked the beginning of Venezuela's modern history as a major producer. Cabimas still plays an important role in production from the nation's largest oil fields, which are located around and beneath Lake Maracaibo. Other fields are increasing in importance, mainly in eastern Venezuela. Most refining in Venezuela takes place in refineries outside the Cabimas area.

The city has an area of 604 km2, a population of 256,993 inhabitants and a population density of 425.5 hab/km2. Its limits are: Lake Maracaibo to the west, the municipalities of Santa Rita and Miranda to the north, the state of Lara Estado Lara to the east and the municipalities of Simón Bolívar and Lagunillas to the south.

"Cabima" is an aboriginal word of Carib origin; it is the name of a tree, also known as Copaiba or oil stick (Copaifera officialis), from whose trunk an oil with medicinal and artisanal properties is extracted.

Cabimas was founded by a group of Cistercians monks in 1758 as the Mission of Saint Ambrosio of Punta de Piedra, located in the modern day "La Mision". Some archeological remains have been found, however not a single wall survives. The existence of Cabimas is stated in the chronicles of Venezuelan Archbishop Mariano Marti who visited the town in 1771. The town grew as a fishing village on Lake Maracaibo's coast until the discovery of oil by the Venezuelan Oil Concessions (VOC) with the well Santa Barbara (R2) in 1917. However, it was the well "Los Barrosos 2" (R4) (1922) which 100,000 bpd blow out reached the world newspaper's headlines. Many oil companies and workers from other parts of Venezuela and abroad came to Cabimas, increasing its population. Most foreign personnel were of American or Dutch origin. La Rosa Oilfield was given in concession by Venezuela president Juan Vicente Gómez.

The development and transformation of the city followed the oil industry. The main avenues (F, G, H, J, K, L, 31,32,33, among others) were named following a coordinate system made by the oil company Shell to locate its wells. Cabimas was populated by people from different regions of Venezuela, mostly people from the east, the Andes, and Falcon. Furthermore, a sector founded by Falconians was named "Corito" (in Spanish small Coro, Coro is the capital of Falcon state). Other sectors received names from nearby oil facilities like the streets R5 and R10 named after oil wells and Gasplant sector named after a natural gas facility. The city was developed with oil field camps (Las 40's, Las 50's, Concordia, Hollywood, Campo Blanco, Campo Staff modern day Las Palmas , Las Cupulas), the newly arrived built their own houses around them, so the city development was not planned. It was also populated by Syrians, Lebanese, Chinese, Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, and Greeks, thus shaping the local markets. Besides oil production, the most outstanding contribution of the city to the country's history was the founding of the first union of workers the Oil Workers and Employees Union (SOEP by its Spanish initials), which still operates in the same building since 1936.

The weather is hot and humid with an average of over 30 °C year round. The oil well flares produce large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), which produces greenhouse effects which make the place even hotter. Precipitation is low during most of the year but the rain is heavy during the wet season.

The terrain is mainly flat with noticeable depressions which were former lagoons, dried to build houses, for instance, Guavina (alligator) a place in Guavina is still called "the swamp", and the "Bajaíta del Tuerto Teófilo" ("One eyed Teófilo's slope"). The soil is made of sand deposits and very few rocks. This, combined with aquifers, allows erosion during the rainy season making the streets collapse, producing notorious holes in the streets.

The main activity is the oil industry, since the discovery of the well "Barroso 2" (R4) IN 1922. Currently the oil fields of La Rosa in land and La Salina in Maracaibo's lake. Those are mature fields producing medium/heavy oil from La Rosa formation of Miocene age. La Rosa field was given in concession to German oil company Preussag Energy from 1996 to 2001 when it passed to the Venezuelan Suelopetrol. Later on, it became associated with the Venezuelan State own oil company PDVSA in 2006 being 60% PDVSA and 40% Suelopetrol. Cabimas doesn't have facilities for natural gas management, processing and transport, so while the gas produced has been flared for several decades, there is currently a project to build a cryogenic plant. Markets are another income for Cabimas, with big stores founded and owned by immigrants from Mediterranean Europe, Middle East and Colombia. There is fishing activity, currently harassed by the growth of algae in the polluted Maracaibo lake, as well as by insecurity (piracy). There are some factories like a plastic bag factory and others. There is a former industrial area which is no longer operational. In the countryside, especially in the Aristides Calvani parish, fruit trees are grown and cattle is raised. The Cattle Raisers Association of East Maracaibo Lake operates in Cabimas. This municipality is also known for a large number of spare auto parts stores. The Cabimas and Maracaibo areas are both widely known for international credit card fraud.

The port of La Salina, with its artificial island, is one of the main oil tanker docks in Maracaibos' lake, from where the crude is shipped to the United States of America, Europe or Asia. There are also some small private docks of oil service companies such as the Halliburton dock in Las Palmas. The Fishing dock is at the Boulevart Costanero, and is for small out bound vessels. There are no commercial or tourist docks.

Oil Workers and Employees Union (SOEP by its Spanish initials) of Cabimas: El Rosario street, was the first Venezuelan workers union founded in 1936 by Jorge Hernández. El Barroso Square: Intercomunal Avenue, Santa Clara Sector between K and L roads. It was the well which shown the La Rosa oil field potential. It blew out in December 1922 with Its currently dry and has an oil pump (Mechanical horse type) as a monument. The Monument was constructed through the offices and concern of Professor Orlando Mendez from Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), who found the historical well abandoned inside a house and proceed to ask for a monument for it. Monument to the Oil Workers: Nuevo Juan highway, between J street, Miraflores street, Lagoven street and las Cabillas Street. It is a statue which depicts two oil workers tightening a valve, it was made by local sculptor Lucidio Gonzalez in 1995 and was commissioned by the City Council.

Bolivar park. Independence Av in front of Our lady of the Rosary Cathedral. Its history begins in 1824 when is founded as the square of Our Lady of the Rosary Church (it became Cathedral in 1965). It is currently under mayor rebuilding. However, work has stopped for several months because of a lawsuit between the Zulia state government and the Historic Heritage Institute which is dependent on the national government. Both organizations are controlled by opposing political parties, so the suit is part of a political struggle. Highway El Rosario. Which joints Pedro Lucas Urribarrí Av from Santa Rita municipality and Intercomunal Av Cabimas municipality and Andres Bello Av. It has walks and gardens and has become a place for public events (concerts, fairs, dances, and more). Highway Nuevo Juan. Joint between Miraflores Av, Las Cabillas Av, J road, Cumarebo Av, Lagoven Av, and other streets of Concordia and Campo Blanco. It has the monument to the oil worker, a work of local sculptor Lucidio Gonzalez made in 1995. It depicts 2 oil workers of 5 meters high tightening a valve. Concordia Square. Las Flores street Concordia sector. El Leon Square. Andres Bello Av, Ambrosio sector. Reshaped in 2007
El Mirador square. Andres Bello Av, El Golfito sector, in front of the Adolfo D'Empaire Public Hospital. Next to Saint Benedict Square. General Rafael Urdaneta square. Chile Av, las 50's sector. Las 40's square. Between the 1st and 2nd las 40's streets with Carabobo street. Los Chimbángeles square. Andres Bello Av, El Golfito sector, it has a monument to Saint Benedict of Palermo. Miraflores square. Carabobo square, between H road and Cumana Av. Note: Concordia square is under reconstruction and has not been finished.

Saint Benedict of Palermo is one of the few black African saints of the Catholic Church celebrated in Cabimas with two processions one from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary through Andrés Bello Avenue to the Mission stadium and another from the Cathedral through Independencia street to La Rosa Parish church. These processions take place on December 27 and January 6 each year, with one procession on each date. Each year the dates and places are interchanged. The procession is joined by dancing people, African drums (Chimbangeles) music, blue flags, maracas and horns. There are several professional Chimbangele drums bands and every one of them parades those days. 300.000 people join the procession which is the biggest in Zulia state. Saint Benedict is also celebrated in Tasajeras; Ojeda City, Puerto Escondido; Santa Rita Municipality; Bobures and Gibraltar (Zulia).

House of the Culture of Cabimas. Rosario street with Rotaria street, next to UNERMB. There is the municipal public library, the archeological museum, with aboriginal cultures remains (Native Americans), the colony and the beginnings of the oil industry. It also contains a dance and theater school, a civil band and a literary center, where the writer's society of Cabimas meets. Pedro Oporto School of Visual Arts. Next to the culture house, under the artist Regulo Rincón, classes of painting and sculpture are held. House Museum Margarita Soto. Andrés Bello Av, Punta Icotea sector. This was the house of the painter and midwife Margarita Soto, remembered in the Gran Coquivacoa song Punta Icotea. Some of her works are exhibited.

TV COL. Work within the Intercable signal, formerly the local cable company before it joined with Intercable. TV COL has television studios which produces high quality news and TV magazines programmes. Is at Las Palmas, former Staff Camp.

There aren't magazines or newspapers edited in Cabimas, There are offices of the newspapers Panorama, El Regional and La Verdad.

Venezuelan Soccer (Football) League. Real Cabimas F. C. They play at La Salina stadium. Currently they have won 5 championships and 3 Venezuelan supercups. Their stars are Alejandro Gil (Ale), Gustavo Iriarte and Gabriel Espinoza (Gabo). They are coached by the well known coach Ernesto Leon. Minor League LUZ Cabimas. Minor League Baseball team, sub champion of the world, at the Minor League Baseball World cup in Easley North Carolina, USA 2005. Manager Argenis Arrieta. Bicycle team Cabimas City hall (City Council). Rugby team Cabimas Tigers R. F. C. Winner of the "Battle of the Lake cup" 2006
Criollitos of Venezuela Ramon Castillo Cubs. They have won several trophies in National and State tournaments representing Cabimas, East Coast of the Lake and Zulia.