مجموعة ٦/ ٦٠ "المملكة العربية السعودية: امتيازات النفط في عسير وجزر فرسان." [و‎‎١‎٠] (٤٢/١٩)

Minute Paper.
Department.
(3) The Farsan Islands and Asir Interert in these
Islands and/or the mainland of ’“sir, from the point of view
of petroleum potentialities, seems to date from before the
Great iar. Operations were actually started on one of the
islands by the Red Sea Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of the
Shell Group in 1926 or early in 1927, but drilling operations
were subsequently abandoned as unsuccessful.
(7) Farsan Islands« now also a part of Saudi Arabia .
K.G.S* would appear to have obtained some sort of a concession
for the Farsans (and possibly the mainland of Asir) from
Hasan al-Idrisi in 1926. It is not clear what became of
this concession, if the grant was coraplete, but it was
superseded by a concession for the Farsans given by the
Idrisi on September 25th, 1926, to a Mr. Cooper, who marketed
it to the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company (Foyal Dutch Ghell
Group). The latter formed the Red Gea Petroleum Company to
work it. This company started operations of some importance
at Zifaf Island. The Idrisi, acting it was thought at the
time, under Italian influence, but more probably under that
of Ibn Saud, made difficulties in the summer of 1927. After
abortive efforts by the Company to overcome them, Ibn Saud
came forward ostensibly in the role of honest broker between
the Idrisi* now his vassal, and the Company. A conference
held atWizan in December, 1927, under his auspices between
representatives of the Company and the Idriei was again
abortive. Ibn Saud eventually intimated ”a decision in
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