Abstract: The file concerns an agreement between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited, which relates to the Abu Dhabi oil concession agreement which was arranged between Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited and the Shaik of Abu Dhabi. The agreement outlines the terms and conditions, laid down by the British Government, regulating the operation of the company in Abu Dhabi. The document includes a 'pre-emption' clause which is relevant in the event of a state of national emergency or war.The agreement is signed by John Charles Walton, Assistant Under-Secretary of State for India, on behalf of the British Government, and witnessed by H S Painter from the India Office. It is also sealed by the petroleum company.Physical description: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 2; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence relating to survey expeditions carried out in the Trucial Coast (today's United Arab Emirates) region by Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited, a subsidiary of Petroleum Concessions Limited. The correspondence is principally between the Residency Agent at Sharjah, the Political Officer of the Trucial Coast, also at Sharjah, the Political Agent at Bahrain, representatives of Petroleum Concessions Limited and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited, the India Office, the rulers of Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah [Ra's al-Khaymah], and Abu Dhabi, as well as the leaders of a number of more minor tribes.The correspondence covers the arrangements for, and the progress of, survey work carried out by the company during the winters of 1945/46, 1946/47, and 1947/48, in the vicinities of Jabal Faiyah and Buraimi [Al-Buraymī], including a reconnaissance trip through Wadi al Gor. Contained in the file are regular updates on the progress of the surveys sent by company representatives to either the Residency Agent or the Political Officer at Sharjah.Matters of a political nature were referred by the company to the Residency Agent or the Political Officer, and the following issues are covered within the file:numerous incidents of resistance from local Bedouin inhabitants, usually triggered by transgression of tribal boundaries;pay arrangements for guards and labourers, including a strike by workers in October 1946;the employment of non-British subjects (namely Americans);tribal and territorial allegiances that impacted on the work of the surveyors.Folio 102 is a sketch map of the area explored around Ajman [‘Ajmān] and Umm al Qaiwain [Umm al Qaywayn].Folios 211-232 are internal office notes, including extracts from the oil concession agreement with Shaikh Sultan II bin Saqr of Sharjah [Sulṭān II bin Saqr Āl Qāsimī].Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.
Abstract: The volume contains correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Trenchard Craven Fowle, Charles Geoffrey Prior), the Political Agent at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman, Reginald George Alban), the India Office (John Percival Gibson, Roland Tennyson Peel), the Foreign Office (Lacy Baggallay, Harry Maurice Eyres), the Petroleum Department (Frederick Charles Starling), Admiralty (Clifford George Jarrett) and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited (Ernest Vincent Packer, Basil Henry Lermitte, John Skliros, H H Wheatley) regarding progress with oil concessions on the Trucial Coast.Discussion centres primarily on concession agreements for Abu Dhabi and Kalba [Kalbā] which had been obtained by Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) in 1938/1939, and the omitted clauses and rewording of the concession agreement which had been undertaken in an attempt to simplify the process. Also discussed are the political agreements between the company and His Majesty’s Government for each concession which would no longer require approval by the ruler of the state and discussing amended clauses to incorporate this decision.In relation to the Kalba concession matters discussed included ensuring sufficient safeguards and guarantees were in place to protect Shaikh Hamad bin Sa’id [Ḥamad bin Sa‘īd Āl Qasimī], who was a minor, and his state whilst it was under the rulership of Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Sultan [Khalid bin Aḥmad bin Sulṭān Āl Qasimī] as Regent. A copy of the Abu Dhabi Concession agreement can be found at folios 134-140 and Political agreement at folios 160-16; copies of the Kalba political agreement can be found at folios 64-69 and 164-165.Other matters discussed in the volume include:a five year exploration permit granted by the Shaikh of Ajman (Shaikh Rāshid Bin Ḥumaid Al-Nu`aimī) to Petroleum Concessions Limited, a copy of which can be found at folios 51-52;copies of lettersin Arabic and English from Ernest Vincent Packer, PCL to the Political Agent at Bahrain, the Sultan of Muscat, the Shaikh of Sharjah, the Shaikh of Dubai and the Regent at Kalba regarding the lack of an annual report for 1940 as owing to war conditions no work had been undertaken;the appointment of F A Ball as Chief Local Representative for Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited and the decision to retain Ernest Vincent Packer as General Manager at Bahrain and appoint Basil Henry Lermitte as Chief Local Representative for Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited;a report by the Master of the Steamship
Barpetaof an oil seepage 15 miles North-East of Halul Island [Ḩālūl] and subsequent investigation into the site where oil was welling up from a submarine gushe;.the decision by Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited in 1941 to exercise its right to a one year extension on their exploration permit and to re-open negotiations with the Shaikh of Ras al Khaimah [Ra's al Khaymah] (Shaikh Sulṭān bin Sālim Āl Qasimī) in the hope of acquiring an extension to cover up to a year following the end of the war.A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 192-198.Physical description: Foliation: The main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 5-191; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The file concerns an agreement between Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan bin Za'id [Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan], Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited, which relates to the Abu Dhabi oil concession of 11 January 1939. The agreement details the general terms and conditions of the concession including the amount to be paid to the Shaikh by the company, and the benefits he will receive. The agreement is signed by Stephen Longrigg, General Manager of Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Ltd., and Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan bin Za'id.Physical description: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 11; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file concerns negotiations over the granting of oil concessions to companies with a significant British interest by a number of states on the Trucial Coast: Dubai, Sharjah, Ras-al-Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, and Ajman. The negotiations were initially with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company Limited (APOC) (later known as the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC)) and the D'Arcy Exploration Company Limited, but D'Arcy's rights were subsequently taken over by Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL) (a subsidiary company of the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC), but in which the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company were a partner).The papers cover: oil explorations in the region; the role of Frank Holmes in the negotiations; claims on the area by the Iraq Petroleum Company; the desire of the British Government to encourage exploitation of Trucial Coast oil by a group with a majority British element, as the Iraq Petroleum Company was strongly non-British controlled; official British satisfaction that a company with substantial British interests (PCL) had been able to counter the threat of American penetration in the area (folios 257-258); draft concession agreements; correspondence between PCL and local rulers about the transfer of D'Arcy's rights to PCL (folios 85-86); correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and local rulers making them responsible for the safety of surveying parties in their territories (folios 69-78); correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and local rulers informing them that approval had been granted to PCL by the British Government to enter into negotiations over concessions in their territories (folios 36-47); and the insistence of the Shaikh of Dubai [Sa‘īd bin Maktūm Āl Maktūm] that Haji Williamson [William Richard Williamson] should accompany any survey party sent into his territory (folios 10 and 14).The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 447; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and two ending flyleaves.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The file concerns negotiations between Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL) and the rulers of several states on the Trucial Coast over oil concession agreements. Petroleum Concessions Limited was the company approved by the British Government to seek oil concessions in the area; it later operated under its subsidiary company Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited. The papers principally relate to Ras-al-Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, but also concern Dubai, Sharjah, Umm-al-Qaiwain, Ajman, and Kalba.The papers consist of correspondence and memoranda issued by the India Office, the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, and the Political Agent, Bahrain; and correspondence from the oil companies involved and local rulers (including four folios in Arabic, with English translations).The papers cover: correspondence concerning undertakings by local rulers to protect oil surveying parties in their territories, and the amount of their liability in the event of any incidents; the involvement of Major Frank Holmes and Haji Williamson [William Richard Williamson]; the demarcation of boundaries in the Trucial Coast; draft agreements relating to Ras-al-Khaimah; British concern over interest in the area on the part of the American company California Arabian Standard Oil; the definition of the phrase 'the Trucial Sheikhs' (folios 386-387); papers concerning a request by PCL for permission from the British Government to employ a French assistant geologist (August-September 1937); a PCL report on the progress of negotiations in Abu Thabi [Abu Dhabi], February 1938 (folios 218-226); other draft agreements; minutes of meetings between British officials and PCL; statement giving the financial terms of certain oil agreements in Arabia (folios 144-147); and the prolongation of the agreement between the Ruler of Ras-al-Khaimah, Shaikh Sultan bin Salem, and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited in 1941, as a result of the international situation (the Second World War, 1939-45).The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 454; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-454; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The file concerns the signing of the oil concession agreement between Petroleum Concessions Limited (through its subsidiary, Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited) and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and the ratification of the agreement by the British Government.The papers cover: the initial reluctance of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi to sign an agreement, and discussion of the suggestion that the British should employ an ultimatum to bring him to agreement, August 1938 - April 1939; copies of the commercial agreement between Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan bin Za'id [Shakhbūt bin Sulṭān bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān], Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited signed on 11 January 1939; issues arising from the fact that the commercial agreement had been signed in Arabic only (including a copy of the Arabic original), folios 75-100; India Office minutes; comments by the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Trenchard Craven William Fowle) and other British Government departments; discussion of the possible future exploitation of natural gas in the area (July-August 1939 and February 1940); draft and signed copies of the political agreement between HM Government and Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Limited, signed on 11 April 1940; and the suspension of oil exploration in the area as a result of wartime conditions, 1940-43.The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 147; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.