"ملف ‏10/1 XIV الامتياز النفطي بالبحرين" [و‎‎١‎٦‎٧] (٥٣٥/٣٨٣)

186
THE PETROLEUM TIMES
February 6, 1937
Growing Importance of Near and Middle East Oil
Intense Activity to Secure Territory for Exploitation—International Co-operation
Great Feature of Operations
A seeming race for potential oil territory is developing
throughout the world. In this history is repeating itself.
4t an earlier stage of the petroleum industry's develop
ment it formed a well-defined phase. Then came a period
when the international oil groups presumably possessed
all the oil-bearing territory they then could handle, or
perhaps, to put it more accurately, when their efforts
were nerforce concentrated mainly on. a fight for markets
to provide outlets for the oil then in sight. The day of
any degree of partnership—even if only bygentlemen's
agreements "—had not then arrived.
With the uses and demand for oil ever growing, the
days of over-abundant oil wealth are passing, despite
the great oil areas already fully and partially tested but
not yet in full exploitation. Directorates must think
not of next year, but of ; the next decade and beyond.
Proved reserves of oil may decline but slowly, and much
known rich oil-bearing land may remain to be exploited,
but the chances of discovering any vast new fields
gradually diminish. In most of the older developed areas
the greatest hope for the future must lie in drilling to
depths even now the rarity, and beyond. Here the skill
of the metallurgist and the equipment manufacturer
must play an even greater part than the advanced tech
nique of the production engineer—whose work is now^
recognised as implying the co-operation of experts in
many branches of science.
So it comes about that once again there is a definite
urge to secure territory, apparently even when the latter
but a minor chance of proving oil-bearing. More
geologists and geophysicists are employed to-day examin
ing the structures than at any previous period. No
where is this urge more spectacular than in the Near
and Middle East, and it is timely to describe briefly the
current position so far as it can be ascertained—for
much is still withheld. The accompanying map has
undergone revision of international significance since
the last one was specially drawn for this journal and
published in the Petroleum Times of February 22nd,
1936. Doubtless it will not be long before further con
cession areas will have to be filled in, particularly, it is
suggested, in Egypt and Turkey. In fact, this proved the
case after the map had just been prepared and this
article drafted.
Factors of the Moment
Several factors are of outstanding importance, apart
from that of the vast areas being taken under concession
whose oil wealth has yet to be revealed. In some cases
preliminary survey has yet to j)rqve it is worth detailed
investigation.
These factors are the established major importance
of Bahrein and the change in the international set-up
brought about by the co-operative development between
the Texas Corporation and the Standard Oil Company of
California through the medium of the California Texas
Oil Company, Ltd.; the purchase of the Italian share of
Mosul Oil Fields, Ltd., by Shell " interests, the Anglo-
Iranian, Near East Development Corporation (S.O.N.J,
and Socony-Vacuum) and the Compagnie Fran^aise des
0 ??i ta !; pumn 1 Jn the foreground is KI pump station, 4 r the bungalows to the left being staff quarters and
Wells 38 and 39 tn 1 V 5 ^ C L Iltre . statlon ^ ant * the tank farm to the right. In centre distance is the stabilisation plant, with
and th l topping plant to right. Hanjira degassing station is on the hills at left edge and main company r
bungalows, offices, stores, etc., lie at right edge, just below the hills )