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'Confidential 86/7 - ix B.52. P.C.L. TRUCIAL COAST' [‎128r] (260/420)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (206 folios). It was created in 1 Jan 1938-13 Jan 1939. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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9. Negotiations in respect of the area belonging to the Sheikh of Bahrein,
but not allotted to the Bahrein Petroleum Company in their lease, have been
carried on between the sheikh on the one hand and both Petroleum Concessions
(Limited) and the Bahrein Petroleum Company, on the other, but so far without
definite result.
10 The Bahrein Petroleum Company was incorporated in Canada in 1929,
the whole of the share capital being subscribed by the Standard Oil Company of
California. In 1936 an agreement was reached between the Standard Oil
Company and the Texas Corporation, whereby the latter company obtained a half
interest in the Bahrein Petroleum Company. As the Texas Oil Corporation has
markets in various Eastern countries, this arrangement secures an outlet for the
refined products obtained from the refinery recently erected in Bahrein.
Qatar.
11. The oil rights in this territory were originally granted to the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company on the 17th May, 1935. A political agreement was entered
into on the 5th June, 1935. The agreement, which runs for a term of seventy-five
years, was transferred to Petroleum Development (Qatar) (Limited) (the operating
company of Petroleum Concessions (Limited) in Qatar) on the 5th February. 1937.
Geological survey work has been carried out and arrangements have been made
to commence deep drilling operations in the autumn of 1938.
12. Considerable difficulty has arisen between His Majesty’s Government
and the Saudi Arabian Government with regard to the boundaries between Qatar,
Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. Ibn Saud claims a frontier which in effect overlaps
the limits of the concession held by Petroleum Development (Qatar) (Limited)
and indicated in the map attached to the concession. His Majesty’s Government
do not admit Ibn Saud’s claim, but have offered him a frontier which, while lying
to the south of the Qatar concession boundary, is nevertheless beyond what they
regard as the legal limit laid down in the Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1914.
The Tracial Sheikhdoms.
13. The position in the Trucial States A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. is as follows :—
14 A jman .—Petroleum Concessions (Limited) held an option giving them
the exclusive right to explore for oil in this territory for a period of two years.
The option period expired on the 22nd January, 1938. but the company have so
far failed to induce the sheikh to grant an oil concession.
15. Ahu Dhabi .—The option of Petroleum Concessions (Limited) expired
on the 3rd January, 1938. Negotiations for a concession were recently suspended
as the sheikh is proving difficult.
16. Debai .—Petroleum Concessions (Limited) hold a concession in respect
of this territory for a period of seventy-five years (Commercial Agreement dated
the 22nd May, 1937, and Political Agreement dated the 5th February, 1937). No
work has so far been carried out.
17. Ras-al-Khaimah .—The option of Petroleum Concessions (Limited)
expired on the 1st August, 1937. A political agreement, preceding the conclusion
of a commercial agreement, was signed on the 25th March, 1938. Negotiations
for the latter are in suspense.
18. Sharjah .—Petroleum Concessions (Limited) hold a concession in respect
of this area for a period of seventy-five years (Commercial Agreement dated the
17th September, 1937; Political Agreement signed the 12th November, 1937).
19. Umm-al-Quwaim .—No option or concession has yet been obtained in
respect of this territory, but the sheikh recently informed Petroleum Concessions
(Limited) that he was “ willing to negotiate.”
Aden Protectorate.
20. An application for an oil exploration licence in respect of this territory
has been made by Petroleum Concessions (Limited) and also jointly by the
Standard Oil Company of California and the Texas Corporation. Petroleum
Concessions (Limited) have priority, and the Protectorate authorities have been
recommended to grant that company an exclusive exploration permit for a term of
two years, after which the other companies could be given an exclusive permit in
respect of the territory not retained by Petroleum Concessions (Limited). A draft
of the exploration permit has been agreed between the Colonial Office and the
[330 1—1] b 2

About this item

Content

The volume comprises correspondence in English and Arabic between the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Trenchard Craven Fowle, Hugh Weightman), the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman, John Baron Howes), the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent at Sharjah (Khan Sahib Saiyid ‘Abd al-Razzaq), the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (John Charles Walton, John Percival Gibson, Roland Tennyson Peel), and Petroleum Concessions Limited (John Skliros, Frederick Lewisohn, Stephen Hemsley Longrigg, Basil Henry Lermitte, Ernest Vincent Packer) regarding negotiations for oil concessions with the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Shaikh’s.

Petroleum Concessions Limited’s negotiations with Shaikh Sultan bin Salim [Sulṭān bin Sālim Āl Qasimī], Ruler of Ras al Khaimah [Ra’s al Khaymah] are discussed, in which an agreement was initially reached with the Shaikh, who requested to see the political agreement between His Majesty’s Government and Petroleum Concessions Limited prior to concluding a concession agreement with the Company. A copy of the political agreement can be found at folios 65-66. The negotiations ultimately concluded an exploration permit for the Shaikh’s territory; with an allowance within the permit to a subsequent agreement for drilling and exploitation should the results of the exploration be favourable.

Also included is correspondence regarding the Shaikh Sultan bin Saqr [Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qasimī], Ruler of Sharjah’s refusal to undertake the previously agreed exchange of letters, including his attempt to reword one of the letters, and potential measures that could be used to compel him to complete the exchange prior to his eventual agreement and formal completion of the Sharjah Concession Agreement. A printed copy of the concession agreement, political agreement and letters exchanged can be found at folios 92-101.Further correspondence relates to the question of the political agreement and whether the agreement of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Shaikh’s to such an agreement is necessary.

The correspondence concludes that the agreement does not require the Shaikh’s approval however as Dubai and Sharjah had both previously agreed to the political agreement and the Regent of Kalba was happy to agree to it as part of the concession it was not necessary to take any action on the matter at that time. Also discussed is the requirement for HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. approval to the establishment of a bank as part of the agreement and whether this was necessary; and the movements of the Standard Oil Company of California and the likelihood that they were using their alleged interest in Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Oil Concessions to improve their chances of obtaining a concession in the unallotted area in Bahrain.

Other matters discussed in the volume include:

  • attempts at re-opening negotiations with Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan [Shaikh Shakhbūt bin Sulṭān bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān], Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and the Shaikh’s insistence in writing that he was not bound by His Majesty’s Government approval and was free to negotiate with whomever he wished;
  • a conversation between the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and Hamilton Ballantyne of the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) regarding representatives of the Shaikh of Bahrain (Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah) having alluded to the Shaikh’s desire to grant a concession for the remaining unallotted area of his territory to BAPCO but fearing that he would lose control of the Hawar Islands if he did so;
  • Petroleum Concessions Limited’s interest in a negotiating concession for the territory of Kalba [Kalbā] with Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Sultan [Shaikh Khālid bin Aḥmad bin Sulṭān Āl Qasimī], Regent to Shaikh Hamad bin Said [Shaikh Ḥamad bin Sa‘īd Āl Qasimī] who was a minor. The correspondence discusses the actual extent of Kalba territory; Shaikh Khalid’s desire to create a combined Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. [Qawāsim] Shaikhdom with himself as ruler and his close relations with the Bani Chittab [Beni Qitab] tribe; and the concession agreement that was reached between the two parties;
  • printed summary issued by the Petroleum Department of His Majesty’s Government detailing petroleum developments in the Arabian Peninsula in relation to Petroleum Concessions Limited (folios 103-105, 127-129).

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 196-203.

Extent and format
1 volume (206 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a table of contents on folio 4 comprising of subject headings and page references. The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 6-195 with a gap between f 40 and f 91; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled and are located in the same position as the main sequence.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'Confidential 86/7 - ix B.52. P.C.L. TRUCIAL COAST' [‎128r] (260/420), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/679, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025806951.0x00003d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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