Oil Affairs in Bahrain during the Reign of Sheikh Salman bin Hamad's Era (1942-1961): “A Study in Light of British Documents”

Abstract

This research aims to shed light on oil affairs in the Emirate of Bahrain during the reign of Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa (1942-1961), based on British documents, where the research dealt with how oil was discovered, the reasons that led to the suspension of exploration operations from 1942 to 1945, the most important oil concessions, the modifications obtained, the establishment of new oil facilities in its wells, and finally what oil generated from the revenues of the Emirate of Bahrain. This research concludes that the economic conditions in Bahrain were initially traditional and simple based on hunting, pearl gathering, trade and agriculture. Then the Bahraini economy turned upside down after oil was discovered, and its production increased during the reign of Sheikh Salman bin Hamad, so that the Bahraini economy turned into rentier production that depends in three quarters of it on oil, which is the sole source of the Bahraini economy. The paper shows that Bahrain benefits from its revenues in distributing it to all economic sectors and demonstrates the emergence of British Government intervention and the attempt to impose its control over all its affairs. Keywords: Bahrain, Sheikh of Bahrain, BABCO, Oil, British government.