MANAMA: The kingdom yesterday marked 90 years to the day, since oil was first discovered in Bahrain and the Arabian Gulf.
On June 3, 1932, history was made when oil was discovered at Well Number One in Jebel Al Dukhan – marking the first such discovery in the Arabian Gulf.
“90 years ago, Bahrain’s oil discovery positively transformed the economy of the nation and had a lasting impact on the development of public infrastructure, education, healthcare, and trade, among other sectors,” nogaholding chief executive Mark Thomas told the GDN.
The Standard Oil Company had secured onshore oil concession agreements for Bahrain a few years earlier and Bapco was formed as a result.
After the discovery, with oil gushing at 400 barrels per hour, Bapco was in business and on June 7, 1934, the first-ever shipment of Bahrain crude oil was exported to Japan from the Sitra terminal on El Segundo, the Standard Oil Company’s tanker.
The Bahrain refinery opened in 1936 with a capacity of 10,000 barrels per day.
Increased activities at the refinery attracted qualified oil workers to move to Bahrain with their families.
Temporary housing near the first oil well in 1933 led to the foundation of a dedicated township, named Awali, by the-then Ruler of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Awali grew with modern facilities and amenities, and was the first in Bahrain to have central air-conditioning plants.
Yateem Gas Station was opened in 1938 in what is now the Government Road – making it the first ever such facility in the whole of Bahrain. And the rest, as they say, is history.
“Today oil and gas accounts for almost 20 per cent of our national economy and employs 8,000 people nation-wide,” Mr Thomas added.
“As we celebrate close to a century of economic progress driven by this sector, we are looking forward to continuing the 90-year journey with pride, confidence, and excitement as we transform the sector and deliver responsible energy that will sustain our nation for decades to come.”
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