The dicovery of oil in 1932

It is strange that the discovery and eruption of oil in Bahrain came in a form that symbolizes the destiny and the fate of Bahrain. But it must confront difficulties to achieve the desired objectives.

The explosion of oil in Bahrain came at six of the morning of the first month of June 1932, from the well, which was called "Well Number One." However, the hours that proceeded this historic moment were very heavy and more difficult. Mr. "Chlo Wilson" says in his report on the status of the operations of the exploration company, "Standard Oil of California," that Mr. "Schmith", the supervisor of previous shift, said "well No. 45 was excavated to a depth of 2003 feet and we only found reservoir and quarantine of wild gray hardwoods. However, after eight hours of despair and frustration and during drilling, there was a flow of materials that was as high as 30 feet that consisted of mud and water ... and oil.” It is amusing that when the eruption of oil in that fateful day came through, it ran strongly from the bore hole and tarnished and covered all the machinery and equipment as well as men, to the degree that it has become impossible to distinguish between workers, Americans from Bahraini.

In the afternoon of that historic day, the operations supervisor, Mr. "Jay Williams," registered the flow of oil for an hour and ten minutes and produced about 500 barrels of crude oil, and the operating shift spent time in cleaning around the drilling tower, and unloading the buried pumps area.

On the 25th of December of the same year, the second oil well in Bahrain exploded.

Indeed, the story of oil exploration in Bahrain goes back to the beginning of the second decade of the 20th century upon many of the consultations held between Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Bahrain's ruler at that time with Major. I. B. Trevor C., the British Resident in Bahrain, which is also confirmed by the correspondence sent from His Highness to the British Resident, which stated: "We have received your letter No. 531 of 18 Jumada II in 1332 (May the 14th ,1914 on the subject of the possible existence of oil in Bahrain. As I also told you in my letter on Jumada II in 1332, inquiring if it was the time get the oil, then I will consult with the Residence House." After the beginning of the 1920s of the present century, the Newseland Major, “Frank Holmes," visited the country to study the nature of its soil and to investigate the presence of oil there. Holmes dig several water wells that supplied citizens with freshwater; this won him the affection and admiration of the people. It was clear from the analysis and tests conducted by Holmes the possibility of the existence of oil in this region. He conducted negotiations with the government of Bahrain and obtained a concession for oil prospecting for a period of two years starting from the 2nd December 1925. But the British government has rejected this privilege in the next year, and referred it to "Loutish the Eastern" company.

On the 27th of December 1928, "Standard Oil of California-SOCAL" Company bought the oil exploration concession in Bahrain from the previous company. Since that day, work began more seriously and with more accurate planning. The Oil Company of Bahrain, "BABCO" was established in Canada in the 11th of January 1929 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the "Standard Oil of California Company" to give the company a British characteristic according to the Canadian law.

In the month of August 1930, the late Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the Deputy Governor at that time, signed a formal concession of exploration. The terms of the contract granted the company the right to prospect for oil in the area of one hundred hectares on the condition that the company pays ten Rupees "less than three American Dollars" to the government, for each ton of oil extracted.

And immediately, the company started a larger and a more comprehensive survey. In October 1930, it began drilling the first wells in the area near Al Dokhan Mountain. The arrival of supplies and equipment for the drilling operations increased starting the 16th of October 1931 after the arrival of Mr. "Edward Skinner,” the first President of the Bahrain Oil Company "BABCO.