"الملف 38/3 I، شركة امتيازات النفط المحدودة: امتياز قطر" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٢] (٤٨٤/٢٦٨)

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‘ L — 1
Q/SA.2/4025 Bahrein, 23rd September, 1945.
His Excellency Shaikh Abdulla bin ^asimAl r Thani,
Ruler of Qatar,
D o h a h. *
Excellency, v iV
We have the hp^our to acknowledge
dated 23rd Ramadhan 1364 / (31st August, 1945)^.
2. Your Excellency will remember/that in the Political ^gent f s
letter No.C/924 of 1942 of 28th June 1942 you were informed that "as a
result of the war His Majesty* s Government have found it necessary to
direct the Oil Company to suspend its operations in your territory’.
The conditions of the suspension were the subject of an agreement between 2
Your Excellency and the Political Agent dated 28th Dul Q,adah 1362 (26th
November 1943). The reason neighbouring Companies were permitted to
continue their work was that at the outbreak of war they were already
producing petrol and kerosene ready for use for war purposes. Your
Excellency will understand that the Company having spent very large sums
of money in Qatar so far without any return for this expenditure, is just
as anxious as Your Excellency to produce oil and thus get money. ihe
Company could not resume operations without the agreement of the Government.
ipwo days ago we received a letter from our Managing Director,
London, instructing us to inform Your Excellency that the company has been
authorised to reopen Qatar operations. The first stage, commencing early
in 1946, will be the preparation of Dukhan Camp for the drilling programme.
Mr. Dickson and our Assistant Manager, Haifa, have already visited Dukhan
to ascertain what is necessary. We will give Your Excellency at least
two months* notice of the reopening of the camp. The actual drilling, it^
is hoped, will commence towards the end of 1946. The extent of the drilling
programme depends on the supply of drilling machinery, other necessary
equiament and qualified personnel. Our Managing Director realises the
importance Your Excellency attaches to the early development of the Qatar
oil field and has promised to keep us all informed if the situation
improves and the work can be expedited or expanded.
4 . With regard to the question of an advance of money the
arrangement made at my last visit to Your Excellency was that we should
wait for the arrival of the Managing Director or his personal representative
and put the matter to him verbally. We discussed the reasons for this
procedure. Unfortunately the long promised visit has not materialised