"ملف 12/15 جولة الوكيل السياسي" [ظ‎‎١‎٨‎٥] (٤٦٩/٣٧٠)

Visit to Khobar
I left Bahrain in the CA3CC launch at 1.45 p.m. on
9th March and arrived at A1 Khobar four hours later. 1 was
met at the pier by Mr. Ohliger (Resident Manager, CASOC),
Shaikh Abdullah al Fadhl (Ibn Saud's Personal Representative i
with CASOCjWho is also acting as Saudi Trade Agent in
Bahrain) and Shaikh Mohammad bin Mathi, Amir of Al Khobar.
Before motoring out with Mr. Ohliger to the CASOC Camp
at Dhahran 8 miles away I spent half an hour taking coffee
with the Amir of Al Khobar in his house. The house
is a ramshackle building, dirty and ill-kept, it is approach
ed by a narrow and unsavoury passage at the entrance to which
a small guard of honour, composed of police dressed in
military clothes, was drawn up^. ^ .
2. on the morning of March 10th 1 motored with Mr. f
chiller to las Tanura, 60 miles away. We took the inland
road which is, on the whole, in good condition. For much
of the way the road runs beside the pipeline connecting the
Company's oil field at Dhahran with the refinery at Has
Tanura. Opposite Tarut Island the road crosses one of the
Bahrain.
3. The refinery at Has Tanura is a small one with a
maximum throughput of only 3000 to 3500 barrels per day. So
small a unit is not economic and Mr. Ohliger told me, in
response to my enc^iiries on this subject, that it had only
been erected by the Company in order to comply with the con
ditions of their Concession. The refinery is not at present
being operated though a stock of kerosene (brought over by
barge from Bahrain) is kept in one of the storage tahks for
supply to the Saudi Government when required. Near the
refinery is a large collection of barasti huts — a labour
camp which is at present unoccupied. The Company's installs- ‘
tions at Has Tanura are looked after by two American
emcirgcwpy land
/ <V<4t
grounds
which the yil Compa
ny prepared