At the turn of the 20th century, Branobel is stronger and more successful than ever and the company is producing ten percent of the world's oil in Baku and its surroundings. Emanuel Nobel buys his uncle, Alfred's, shares in the company and the money goes into the newly-formed Nobel Foundation. In 1901, the first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm and Oslo.
Visiting German engineering exhibitions, a Swedish employee of the Nobel Company in Russia, Anton Carlsund, saw an early version of the engine that Rudolf Diesel had invented. Via Carlsund, Nobel owned companies in Russia and Sweden took an active part in refining the diesel engine into a practically functioning power source.
The running of ships by steam engines was expensive. If it were possible to use diesel engines, a shipping company could save about 60, possibly 80 per cent. However, a diesel engine was heavy and a ship must be able to manoeuver: to stop, reverse and immediately start again. Wilhelm Hagelin got support from Emanuel Nobel, advising that they should try it.
The methods to produce mechanical power were rapidly developed in the late 19th century. The steam engine had dominated the market, but different types of combustion engines were now made available as stationary or mobile power sources. One of the developers was the German engineer Rudolf Diesel.
When a young Georgian engineer by the name of Sampson Mepisashvili moved from Tiblisi to Baku in 1910, the petroleum boom in the Transcaucasian region was at its peak.
Finding efficient ways of transporting the oil was crucial and the Nobel brothers were constructing ocean-going tankers early on. They were also the first to introduce pipelines, and, concerned with the great waste of oil, they invented the notion of oil storage above the ground.
In 1877, the brothers Ludvig, Robert and Alfred Nobel make plans for the new oil company, Branobel. All new knowledge of oil management is in the USA and the brothers send the Swedish engineer, Alfred Törnqvist, to Oil City in Virginia to learn about refining, storing and distributing oil.
In 1897, the young Swedish engineer, Anton Carlsund travels to Germany. He is employed by the Ludvig Nobel Engineering Works and is to take part in the annual meeting of German engineers. Here, he meets Rudolf Diesel and is fascinated by his invention. Back in St Petersburg, it also arouses the interest of Emanuel Nobel.
At the huge All-Russian Industry and Art Exhibition in Moscow in 1882, Branobel participated with a number of products related to the petrochemical industry, and won a bronze medal and a second prize. Among other things, visitors got to see huge oil burners for steam boilers.
