Coll 30/204 ‘Persian Gulf Oil. Future of oil in its relation to the Middle East – Admiralty Memorandum on –’ [‎30r] (59/66)

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Concessionary rights are (it is "believed exclusively; in
the hands of three separate oil groups viz:-
IRAQ PETROL EUM COMPA NY I'NTERESTS .
Various Sheikhdoms (including Qatar) along the Trucial
Coast,
Red Sea littoral of Saudi Arabia.
KUWEIT OIL COMPANY.
(A British registered Anglo-American Company - equal Shares
being held by Anglo Iranian and Gulf Oil Company of
America)•
Kuweit and territorial waters.
' STANDARD OIL COMPANY 0? CALI FORNIA.
TEXAS OIL COMPANY.
Bahrein, and Saudi Arabia including Hasa, but excluding the
Red Sea littoral.
It will thus be seen that British, French and American interests
are all represented by these several groups, Americans alone
being concerned in all three.
The prospects of the Red Sea Littoral of Saudi Arabia
(where concessions are held by I.P.C. interests) are not
regarded as very promising.
(14) If the above review of Middle East reserves be accepted
as substantially accurate, it is logical to conclude that the
effects of a gradual diminu^tion of American exports need not be
greatly feared, since by an easy calculation (vide statement; it
is demonstrable that such reserves would suffice quantitatively
to meet the import needs of all other countries, and particularly
of Europe, for a very large number of years to come, even on an
increased level of consumption.
(15) Turning now to those countries referred to on rage 8
as of supplementary importance (Turkey, Syria, Palestine and
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ), whilst their oil resources may not be relatively
great it is difficult to over-emphasise their future value^ to
Europe and especially to Great Britain, as a bridgehead between
western markets and the major oilfields of the East, - the role
of Turkey in this connection being political rather than
physical.
(16) Total exports of the Middle East in 1938 were:-
Ex Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (by sea)
Iraq to Mediterranean
(pipe line)
To Europe
3,400,000
4,100,000
Elsewhere.
6,900,000
14,400,000
Schemes for doubling the capacity of the Iraq/Mediterranean pipe
line were under consideration before the present war and may veil
become a live issue again on its conclusion. Iranian sxpor s
have so far been all sea borne but, taking a long view,
Iranian Oil Company some years back negotiated certain rights
with Iraq etc. which would permit of it laying an independent
pipe line system to the Mediterranean if and when it judged such
a course advisable.
A