Only a single one of the Reds' sixteen Championship games to date this season has been won by a margin of more than one goal, Bristol City's 2-0 victory at Ashton Gate in mid-October, and the week leading up to the Derby clash had seen Forest beaten by a solitary goal at both Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End.
That made the first goal crucial against the Rams and Oliveira's well-hit strike allowed the Reds to maintain their defensive solidity while hitting the visitors on the break.
Jamie Ward and Henri Lansbury could have added to the lead in the first-half while the decision to disallow a Matt Mills header could also have gone the other way.
Skipper Lansbury was pleased with the 'control' that his side showed throughout the game and Dougie Freedman's belief that Forest have been unlucky on a number of occasions recently found some credence with his performance.