▁and ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁narrow ▁streets . ▁The ▁industrial ▁zone ▁grew ▁from ▁south ▁to ▁north ▁and ▁eventually ▁occupied ▁the ▁rural ▁area ▁that ▁separated ▁Black ▁City ▁from ▁Bal akh any . ▁After ▁dra ining ▁the ▁coast al ▁mar sh es ▁and ▁rec laim ing ▁the ▁land , ▁the ▁coast al ▁area ▁of ▁Black ▁City ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁dec ades ▁that ▁followed ▁its ▁initial ▁construction , ▁the ▁road ▁plan ▁of ▁Black ▁City ▁did ▁not ▁change . ▁The ▁built - up ▁area ▁was ▁renov ated ▁and ▁replaced ▁according ▁to ▁techn ological ▁requirements ▁of ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Current ▁situation ▁▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁the ▁B aku ▁region ▁only ▁produced ▁about ▁ 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁cru de ▁oil ▁in ▁the ▁countries ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁mostly ▁from ▁off sh ore ▁well s . ▁ ▁Black ▁City ▁still ▁contains ▁a ▁large ▁park ▁that ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁Lud v ig ▁and ▁Robert ▁Nobel . ▁However , ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁book ▁described ▁a ▁des olate ▁scene ▁of ▁der el ict ▁oil ▁well s , ▁garbage ▁and ▁poll ution ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁Black ▁City , ▁with ▁no ▁trace ▁of ▁green ery . ▁The ▁Villa ▁Pet role a , ▁formerly ▁the ▁residence ▁of ▁the ▁Nobel ▁brothers , ▁was ▁empty ▁and ▁der el ict ▁before ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁a ▁rest oration ▁programme , ▁organ ised ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁by ▁a ▁public ▁organization ▁named ▁the ▁B