The Search for Oil Offshore Abu Dhabi

摘要

In 1953, a subsidiary of British Petroleum obtained an oil concession of 31,000 square kilometers off the coast of Abu Dhabi from the ruler, Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In 1954, the famous marine explorer, Jacques Cousteau, was contracted to undertake a geological sampling survey of the seabed using his research vessel, Calypso. At that time, Abu Dhabi was one of seven territories that formed the Trucial Coast, and was relatively unknown in the West. Indeed, when Cousteau's wife first heard about her husband's survey, she asked, "Where is Abu Dhabi?" After the survey had been completed, BP went into partnership with Compagnie Frangaise des Petroles (CFP - later Total) and formed an operating company called Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Ltd. (ADMA), initially owning two-thirds and one-third, respectively.