Oil

This file relates to oil concessions and seabed disputes involving Qatar. It contains correspondence concerning:

• Reduction of staff of Qatar Petroleum Company (QPC), including: reasons for reduction; details of methods and implementation; and severance terms and future redundancy of Qataris (3)
• Qatar Income Tax Regulation, 1954, the Qatar Income Tax (Amendment) Regulation, 1955 and the Qatar Income Tax (Amendment) Regulation, 1964 [all enclosed] (4, 11)
• Objections by the Ruler of Qatar Sheikh Ahmad Bin Ali Al Thani on proposed drilling limits (5)
• HMG's efforts to conclude a supplementary agreement [drafts enclosed] between Qatar and the Continental Oil Company, involving a possible modification of drilling limits in the southeast. This issue is complicated by the disputed islands Shura'awah, Las Hat [Al Ashat], and Halul, rumours that Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Limited are drilling in Continental's concession area and the Ruler of Qatar's belief that HMG is favouring Abu Dhabi and Bahrain in their seabed disputes. It includes records of conversations with Director-General of the Government of Qatar Dr Hasan Kamel and copies of letters from the Ruler of Qatar (7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20-24)
• Information from Kamel on QPC's request to use the services of a seismic party to carry out a marine survey at the northern end of Dukhan field and HMG's concerns about the boundary dispute with Bahrain (16)
• QPC's relinquishment of the entire strip on the east side of the Qatar Peninsula because it has no prospect of containing commercial oil (19)