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'CONFIDENTIAL 86/31 VOL. B.64 OIL IN ITS RELATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST' [‎20r] (44/578)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (285 folios). It was created in 11 Oct 1940-22 Aug 1945. It was written in English. 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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- 12 -
/U'
In all these circumstances it requires no great stretch
of imagination to foresee a period not far remote r 'hen 20/30
million tons may flou yearly by pipe line systems from Iraq,
and Iran to Mediterranean ports, and this without prejudice to
the sufficiency of other suorlies seaborne from Iran and the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. littoral to numerous destinations both east and
west, not excluding shipments to Europe supplementary to the
overland deliveries *
(lY) All major concessionary zones, are, as previously
indicated^ already in the hands of oil groups of international
status, of world-wide experience and of unquestionable
competence to furnish the financial, commercial and technical
background for long term planning on a scale commensurate with
future needs; in consequence, they should not lack a sane
understanding of their problem in the East in its relation to
the balanced economy of world oil supplyo
(18) As there is considerable variance of political status
in the several countries concerned 3 (vide 11 (b) ) 5 official
relations are in the hands of at least three principal
Government Departments 9 viz 0 Poreign ? India and Colonial Offices,,
( 19 ) Having regard to the part that petroleum questions seem
destined to play 9 from one aspect or another^ in respect to
British relations with all these Middle Eastern countries^, and
to the fact that relations with France^ Turkey and the U 8 G 8 A.
are also involved 9 the developments foreshadowed in this paper
might be regarded as almost a controlling factor in determining
future British policy in the Middle last; they are at least
of the gravest concern to the economic well being of Great
Britain and the Empire in the not very distant future c
(20) It is perhaps not going too far to say that the
reconciliation of all these interests in harmony with British
policy demands an official conception of long term planning
complementary to that which will devolve on the oil groups
themselves; so that in fact the total conception of policy
appears to be analogous to that which would devolve on a
State Planning Department in another state of society e
(21) The approach to any such plan involves
(a) strict unification of Middle East policy on a long
term basis between the various Government Departments 9
(b) continuity of policy on non-party lines c
(c) The largest possible measure of official collaboration
with and sup wort of the major oil groups within the
limits of t heir legitimate co ncess ionary activities,.
(22) It is in the hope that the
oil in its relation to the Kiddle
time 9 receive the fullest possible
indicated herein that the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
enumerate the considerations which
increasing significance of
East may 9 at the appropriate
recognition on the lines
has thought it desirable to
annear to him to be
particularly relevanto
A,, CD HE ARID
Admiralty -
11/10/40 0 '

About this item

Content

The volume comprises correspondence and discussions regarding the economic and political situation in relation to oil in the Middle East during and immediately after the Second World War. At the centre of the discussions are talks which took place in Washington DC between US and UK government officials looking at the global importance of oil, which focused particularly on oil in the Middle East.

The talks concluded with the production of a memorandum of understanding which was published 8 August 1944 as the Agreement on Petroleum between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, otherwise known as the Anglo-American Oil Agreement (1945).

Also included in the volume is correspondence 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. (Charles Geoffrey Prior), the Secretary to the Government of India, External Affairs Department (Olaf Kirkpatrick Caroe), 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 His Majesty’s Minister at Jeddah (Stanley Jordan) regarding two proposed pipelines. The first being the ‘trans-arabian pipeline’ which it was proposed would link the Middle East to the Mediterranean. The proposal was initially postponed owing to heavy criticism of it in the United States press but was later taken up by the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO). The second proposal from the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) and the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (CASOC, later renamed ARAMCO) was for a pipeline to take crude oil from Dhahran [Aẓ-Ẓahrān], Saudi Arabia to the BAPCO refinery at Bahrain.

Also included is correspondence between the Chief Local Representative for BAPCO (Milton H Lipp, Ward P Anderson) and the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave) regarding possible sites for the pipeline and the reservation of required land. Further discussion centred on the question of the eastern frontier of Saudi Arabia, which was in dispute, and whether His Majesty’s Government should look to tackle the matter at that time with the Saudi Arab Government or wait until the progress of the oil companies required its resolution. Jabal Naksh and Khor-al-Odaid [Khawr al ‘Udayd], which were claimed by Qatar and Abu Dhabi respectively, and whose claims were supported by His Majesty’s Government but contested by Saudi Arabia were discussed as being key areas in the frontier dispute.

Another matter discussed in the volume was a visit paid by the Mission of the Petroleum Reserves Corporation to the Middle East. The Mission’s purpose was to review resources of petroleum in the Middle East and its itinerary included visits to Kuwait, Dhahran, and Bahrain. The mission was headed by Everette Lee Degoyler and also included the eminent geologists and petroleum experts Dr George Martin Lees, William Embry Wrather, and John Herhold Murrell.

Other matters touched on in the volume include a request by ARAMCO to undertake a hydrographic survey of the coast line of the Kuwait Neutral Zone; the possibility of resuming oil field production in Qatar and Kuwait provided the necessary equipment could be obtained from the USA; articles published in American journals and newspapers regarding the global oil situation and oil in the Middle East; and a visit paid by Major Frank Holmes to Kuwait in 1944.

Also included in the volume are a number of notes and memorandums relating to oil in the Middle East:

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 272-283.

Extent and format
1 volume (285 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a table of contents on folio 5 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 with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 287; 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 7-270; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'CONFIDENTIAL 86/31 VOL. B.64 OIL IN ITS RELATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST' [‎20r] (44/578), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/700, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100086676319.0x00002d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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