Skip to item: of 1,003
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Coll 30/110(3) 'Trucial Coast Oil Concessions: Hinterland Exploration and Survey. Trucial Coast Boundaries. Trucial Coast Surveys 1938-9.' [‎401r] (801/1003)

The record is made up of 1 file (500 folios). It was created in 11 Jun 1937-2 Dec 1943. 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

dare say that after innumerable cups of coffee had been
drunk and many hours had been spent in talk an arrangement
would be come to between the Company and Sheikh X. Should
Sheikh X raise the question of how his oil rights stood in
case oil were found in his area, it would be explained to
him that the first thing to do was to find out whether oil is
likely to be found there at all. Naturally I would not
permit the Company^ party to visit Sheikh X^ area unless
the latter gave suitable guarantees for their safety, and
unless I was personally satisfied that the visit could be
made in safety. The Company’s party would also be accompanied
by one of my Political Officers or by myself.
8. The result of the visit of the exploration party to
Sheikh X*s area would be to show either that his area had
possibilities of oil, or not. If the former, then further
steps would have to be considered in due course. If the
latter, then Sheikh X and his possible oil rights in relation
to Sheikh A would concern us and the Company no longer.
The same procedure could be carried out step by step with the
other ,, concession ,, and petty Sheikhs concerned.
9. The term '’exploring’ 1 which I have used for the
operations of the Company may suggest a more formidable
undertaking than it really is. From what Mr. Longrigg
(of P. C.L. ) told us, it appears that a geological party
(which consists merely of a couple of geologists) can get a
negative result, i.e. be in a position to say there are no
hopes of oil in any particular area by merely casting their
eyes over it, and they can class any area as a possible one
for oil by a further exploration of a few days.
10. Before attempting the procedure outlined in
paragraph 7 above, it occurred to me that an air survey of
the/

About this item

Content

The file relates to geological survey work carried out by Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL) (and its subsidiaries Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) Limited and Petroleum Development (Oman and Dhofar) Limited) to identify productive sources of oil in the hinterland of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. and Muscat and Oman (particularly in the area around Buraimi).

The papers include: the extent to which the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. hinterland was under the control of Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. rulers; the question of the boundaries of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. states, including a set of reports by 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. , Bahrain and 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, Sharjah, dated 1937 (folios 461-473); local tribes; the importance to general British policy in the Middle East of the friendship and stability of Saudi Arabia (folio 444); the question of the borders of Saudi Arabia and Muscat and Oman; minutes of meetings between 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. officials and representatives of Petroleum Concessions Limited; agreement that the Royal Air Force (RAF) should assist in carrying out aerial surveys of the area, 1937; the emphasis of 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Trenchard Craven William Fowle) on the importance of establishing whether oil existed in commercial quantities within the British sphere of influence in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , in view of the fact that the majority of oil wells in the region were in Iran, 1937 (folios 395, 382, 208-210); the difficulties in arranging a visit by the Company's geologists to Jebel Faiyah [Jabal al Fāyah] and other parts of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. interior, 1938; the use by the Company of a civil aircraft for aerial surveys, 1938 (folios 328, 263); a report on local tribal politics in the Baraimi [Buraimi] area, 1938 (folios 229-236); sketch map of region, folio 216; the presence in the area of two PCL exploration parties to Buraimi, November-December 1938; a report by the Assistant 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. , Bahrain (Captain John Baron Howes), who accompanied one of the parties, with comments by 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. and 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. , Bahrain, and two sketch maps, folios 144-169; further plans for exploration by the Company in 1939, with sketch map (folios 116-118); Fowle's view that the explorations should help to dispel the view that American oil interests would do more to explore the region (folio 151), contrasted with his feeling in July 1939 that PCL were looking for excuses not to proceed with proposals from the Sultan of Muscat for further exploration (folio 49); the postponement of surveys in 1939 and 1940 as a result of war conditions; and the continuation of annual concession payments to the shaikhs concerned, 1943 (folio 4).

The papers also contain a significant amount of correspondence from 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. and HBM's Consul, Muscat.

The Arabic language content of the papers consists of four annual reports in both English and Arabic on the Company' operations in 1940, sent to local rulers.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (500 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 501; 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 present in parallel between ff 2-500; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Coll 30/110(3) 'Trucial Coast Oil Concessions: Hinterland Exploration and Survey. Trucial Coast Boundaries. Trucial Coast Surveys 1938-9.' [‎401r] (801/1003), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3837, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048859259.0x000004> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100048859259.0x000004">Coll 30/110(3) 'Trucial Coast Oil Concessions: Hinterland Exploration and Survey. Trucial Coast Boundaries. Trucial Coast Surveys 1938-9.' [&lrm;401r] (801/1003)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100048859259.0x000004">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x000195/IOR_L_PS_12_3837_0804.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x000195/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image