Life

The abandoned residential area of Karamay Baikouquan Oil Production Plant

One of the few mining towns not abandoned due to resource depletion

Last month, I visited Baikouquan to photograph its industrial ruins, especially the Karamay Oil Extraction Plant No. 5, which operated from 1980 to 1998. Despite ongoing oil production, improved transportation reduced the need for local residences. In its 1990s peak, the area had schools and amenities but now stands largely abandoned, evoking my childhood memories of Karamay.

  1. #industrial ruins
  2. #Baikouquan
  3. #Karamay
  4. #abandoned buildings
  5. #oil extraction

23

An old, dilapidated apartment building with numerous windows and balconies stands in a barren, dusty area surrounded by a dirt field and bare trees.An old, dilapidated apartment building with numerous windows and balconies stands in a barren, dusty area surrounded by a dirt field and bare trees.

I went home for vacation last month and, since I have always been interested in industrial ruins, I came to Baikouquan to take photos of some abandoned buildings.

Karamay Oil Extraction Plant No. 5 is also called Baikouquan Oil Extraction Plant. Initially, people lived in tents just like the start of other oil fields. Residential buildings began construction in 1980 and stopped in 1998. Gradually, people moved to live in the city area of Karamay. It wasn't because the oil was exhausted, but because improved transportation made it possible to reach here from the city in just over an hour, making it unnecessary to maintain a residential area here.

At its peak in the 1990s, this place had two elementary schools and one middle school, a cinema, a library, a mosque, and even a water park.

A black and white table with Chinese characters on it, listing the price of various items.A black and white table with Chinese characters on it, listing the price of various items.

Today, most of the residential buildings have been demolished. Of the remaining houses, a few are still inhabited (since the Baikouquan Oil Extraction Plant is still producing oil and some people work nearby), while others have their doors and windows sealed with bricks.

A black and white photograph of a book page with Chinese text, showing a section of a paragraph with Chinese characters.A black and white photograph of a book page with Chinese text, showing a section of a paragraph with Chinese characters.
A black and white page from a book with Chinese text, open to page 12, with a white background and black text.A black and white page from a book with Chinese text, open to page 12, with a white background and black text.

Although I never lived here, these buildings are exactly what Karamay looked like in my childhood memories. It is this background that gives me a special fascination for industrial ruins, especially those in the Northwest. When standing here, I can't help but wonder how people lived back then. Just a few steps to the edge of the town, facing the endless Gobi Desert, what were they thinking?

An aerial view of a large industrial area with numerous buildings, roads, and a large open field.An aerial view of a large industrial area with numerous buildings, roads, and a large open field.
还有个带水的公园
A desolate, dilapidated building with a large mural of a man's face on its side, surrounded by a dirt lot and a clear blue sky.A desolate, dilapidated building with a large mural of a man's face on its side, surrounded by a dirt lot and a clear blue sky.
A large, multi-story building with a brick facade and balconies is under construction, with a motorcycle parked in front of it. The building has a large window and a balcony with a railing. The sky is clear blue, and there are bare trees in the background.A large, multi-story building with a brick facade and balconies is under construction, with a motorcycle parked in front of it. The building has a large window and a balcony with a railing. The sky is clear blue, and there are bare trees in the background.
A tall, multi-story brick building with numerous windows and balconies, some with metal railings, stands against a clear blue sky.A tall, multi-story brick building with numerous windows and balconies, some with metal railings, stands against a clear blue sky.
An aerial view of a large apartment complex with multiple buildings, surrounded by a parking lot and a road.An aerial view of a large apartment complex with multiple buildings, surrounded by a parking lot and a road.
A dilapidated apartment building with numerous windows and a door, surrounded by debris and a blue trash can, stands in a desolate area.A dilapidated apartment building with numerous windows and a door, surrounded by debris and a blue trash can, stands in a desolate area.
A desolate desert area with a large beige apartment building and a smaller one in the background, surrounded by bare trees and a clear blue sky.A desolate desert area with a large beige apartment building and a smaller one in the background, surrounded by bare trees and a clear blue sky.
A three-story brick apartment building with six windows and a balcony, located on a street corner, is surrounded by a concrete wall and a concrete sidewalk.A three-story brick apartment building with six windows and a balcony, located on a street corner, is surrounded by a concrete wall and a concrete sidewalk.
A desert-like area with a pavilion, trees, and a blue sky.A desert-like area with a pavilion, trees, and a blue sky.
An aerial view of a large construction site with numerous multi-story buildings under construction, surrounded by a vast open field.An aerial view of a large construction site with numerous multi-story buildings under construction, surrounded by a vast open field.
A cityscape with a brick apartment building, a red fence, a blue car, and a tree.A cityscape with a brick apartment building, a red fence, a blue car, and a tree.
A blue fence with Chinese characters on it is next to a dirt road, with buildings in the background.A blue fence with Chinese characters on it is next to a dirt road, with buildings in the background.
A room with a blue and white patterned window, a broken door, and a broken wall.A room with a blue and white patterned window, a broken door, and a broken wall.
A large building with a blue roof and a large sign on the side, surrounded by a dirt lot with a car, a tree, and a telephone pole.A large building with a blue roof and a large sign on the side, surrounded by a dirt lot with a car, a tree, and a telephone pole.

For more photos, please see the The abandoned residential building of Baikouquan Oil Production Plant in Karamay.

Next

Uninhabited Land – Qinghai Starry Sky Photography Journey: Preparation