Oil industry in Trucial States

The file relates to the oil industry in the Trucial States. It covers correspondence on:

• Activities of Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) (PDTC) and Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Limited (ADMA) in Abu Dhabi (1)
• Wish of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to appoint a Kuwaiti to watch over his oil interests. It also includes the Sheikh's offer of the post to Faisal Mansour Al Mazidi, who turned it down, and the Foreign Office and British Council's subsequent investigation into Mazidi's academic background (2)
• Discussions with Azienda Generale Italiana Petroli Mineraria (AGIP Mineraria) regarding concessions with Sharjah. It also includes the view of the British Residency in Bahrain on AGIP Mineraria being given the concession (3-4)
• Settlement of the change to Article 4 in the political agreement with ADMA and discussion around whether to take an initiative in informing the other oil companies in the Gulf about the arrangement and offering them a similar amendment (5)
• Conversation between J T Fearnley of the Foreign Office and Mr Stockwell of BP regarding an important oil find at Umm Shaif. It also includes a copy of a report from Petroleum Week about oil in the Abu Dhabi Marine Areas concession area (6)
• Conversation between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf G H Middleton and Mr Lewis of BP regarding the future of operations in Abu Dhabi and the potential for economic development and the UK action to be taken (7)
• Recommendation by Middleton to the Foreign Office that reputable international oil companies should be allowed to operate in areas unwanted by UK companies (8)
• Conversation between Fearnley and Dr Murray of the Economist Intelligence Unit regarding an article to be published on Iraq Petroleum Company's (IPC) relinquishment of the Sharjah concession (9)
• Aide memoire from Middleton to A T Chisholm regarding Chisholm's visit to the Middle East including requests for information on oil plans and the development of Abu Dhabi (10)
• A conversation between Middleton and M Bridgeman of ADMA about the future plans of the company (11)
• Importance of any advisor to the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saqr Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, regarding oil concessions being independent and of stressing the 50/50 basis for concessions (12)
• Report on PDTC oil production at the Murban [Murban Bab] well, including estimates of 3,000 barrels per day (13)
• Request by Mr Bird of IPC for a draft income tax law for Abu Dhabi allegedly produced by Mr Reilly, and the question of whether this really was produced (14)
• Conversation between I S Winchester of the Political Agency in Dubai with Melvin Watterson, the local representative of PDTC, regarding oil in Ras Al Khaimah and PDTC's intention of terminating the 1945 oil concession agreement (15)
• Proposed replacement of Mr Cuthbert as the Chief Representative of ADMA in Abu Dhabi with Mr Horan of BP, and Sheikh Shakhbut's disapproval (16)
• Conversation between W P Cransten of the British Residency in Bahrain and the General Manager of the Qatar Petroleum Company (QPC) Mr Tod regarding Sheikh Shakhbut's refusal of a 50/50 agreement and QPC's consideration of closing their office and rest house in Bahrain (17)