Coll 30/138 'Oil: Debai Political Agreement and Refinery Agreement.' [9r] (17/369)
The record is made up of 1 file (183 folios). It was created in 2 Apr 1936-25 May 1937. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Force majeure as used in this Agreement includes the Act of God, war,
insurrection, riot, civil commotion, tide, storm, tidal wave, flood, lightning, explosion,
fire, earthquakes and any other happening which the Company could not reasonably
prevent or control.
Article 2d. The Shaikh shall not by general or special legislation or by
administrative measures or by any other act whatever annul this Agreement except
as provided in Article 19.
No alteration shall be made in the terms of this Agreement by either the Shaikh
or the Company except in the event of the Shaikh and the Company jointly agreeing
that it is desirable in the interests of both parties to make certain alterations,
deletions or additions to this Agreement.
Article 24.—(a) If at any time during the currency of this Agreement any
difference or dispute shall arise between the parties hereto concerning the inter
pretation or execution hereof, or anything herein contained, or in connection
herewith, or the rights or liabilities of either party hereunder, the same shall,
failing any agreement to settle it in any other way, be referred to two arbitrators,
one of whom shall be chosen by each party, and a referee, who shall be chosen by
the arbitrators before proceeding to arbitration.
(b) Each party shall nominate its own arbitrator within 60 days after delivery
of a request so to do by the other party, failing which its arbitrator may at the
request of the other party be designated by the British
Political Resident
A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. In the event of the arbitrators failing to agree within 60 days after
being chosen or designated the British
Political Resident
A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
may
appoint a referee at the request of the arbitrators or of either of them.
(c) The decision of the arbitrators, or in a case of a difference of opinion
between them, the decision of the referee, shall be final and binding upon both
parties.
(d) In giving a decision the arbitrators or the referee shall specify an adequate
period of delay, during which the party against whom the decision is given shall
conform to the decision, and that party shall be in default only if that party has
failed to conform to the decision prior to the expiry of that period and not
otherwise.
(e) The place of arbitration shall be such as may be agreed by the parties and
in default of agreement shall be London.
Article 25. The Company shall make all payments that become due to the
Shaikh under this Agreement into the Shaikh’s account at the Eastern Bank, Ltd ,
Bahrain, and the Bank’s receipt shall be a full discharge for the Company in respect
to the payment of the sum stated in the Bank’s receipt.
Should the Shaikh decide to grant permission for a Bank to open a branch or
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
in Dubai the Shaikh shall consult with the Company as to which Bank
shall be given the permission.
The Shaikh may from time to time designate in writing another Bank or Banks
for the purpose of this Article.
Article 26. The Shaikh may select in consultation with the Local Representa
tive of the Company, a local man—conversant with the English language—to act
as a confidential person as between the Shaikh and the Company’s Representative
and to assist in procuring the labour that the Company may require. The salary of
the Shaikh’s confidential person so appointed shall be paid by the Company through
the Shaikh in Dubai and shall be at the rate of
Rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
Four hundred (400) per
month.
Article 27. This Agreement is written in English and translated into Arabic.
If there should at any time be disagreement as to the meaning or interpretation of
any clause in this Agreement the English text shall prevail.
In Witness whereof the parties to this Agreement have set their hands the day
and year first above written.
And God is Gracious.
The Company, The Shaikh,
FRANK HOLMES. SAID BIN MAKTUM AL-HASIIER.
(Signed in Arabic.)
In the presence of
T. HICKINBOTHAM,
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
, Bahrain.
22nd May 1937.
About this item
- Content
The file concerns the preparation and signing of two agreements relating to the Debai [Dubai] oil concession:
- Political agreement between HM Government and Petroleum Concessions Limited, and its subsidiary company, Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) Limited, setting out the terms in the event of the Company obtaining a concession from the Shaikh of Dubai
- Refinery agreement between HM Government and Petroleum Concessions Limited (and its subsidiary companies) relating to the refining of crude oil, setting out the terms for the erection of a refinery or refineries on the Arab side of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
The papers include: comments by various British Government departments (including the Admiralty, Air Ministry, Petroleum Department and the Foreign Office); drafts of the agreements; correspondence from Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL); correspondence concerning the insertion of a pre-emption clause in the political agreement setting out the British Government's right of pre-emption of all crude oil obtained under the concession in the event of a state of national emergency or war; signed copies of the two agreements, dated 5 February 1937 (folios 20-23); and India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. confidential print entitled 'Dubai Oil Concession and Connected Documents', containing copies of the political agreement, the commercial agreement between the Shaikh of Dubai and Petroleum Concessions Limited, dated 22 May 1937, and related correspondence.
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.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (183 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 184; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Coll 30/138 'Oil: Debai Political Agreement and Refinery Agreement.' [9r] (17/369), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3872, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056260906.0x000014> [accessed 7 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100056260906.0x000014
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100056260906.0x000014">Coll 30/138 'Oil: Debai Political Agreement and Refinery Agreement.' [‎9r] (17/369)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100056260906.0x000014"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x0001b8/IOR_L_PS_12_3872_0020.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x0001b8/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3872
- Title
- Coll 30/138 'Oil: Debai Political Agreement and Refinery Agreement.'
- Pages
- 6v:9r
- Author
- Unknown
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact [email protected] with any information you have regarding this item.
![Coll 30/138 'Oil: Debai Political Agreement and Refinery Agreement.' [‎9r] (17/369) Coll 30/138 'Oil: Debai Political Agreement and Refinery Agreement.' [‎9r] (17/369)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x0001b8/IOR_L_PS_12_3872_0020.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg)