OPEC: Origins And Strategy 1947–1973 - Cambridge Archive Editions

Near & Middle East Titles:
OPEC: Origins And Strategy 1947–1973

ISBN: (13) 978-1-84097-090-6
Extent: 6 volumes, 4,400 pages
Price: £2,495

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Editor: A. Burdett
Author:N/A
ISBN: (10) 1-84097-090-1
Published: 2004
Paper: Printed on acid free paper
Binding: Library bindings with gilt finish
See sample pages: not available

Resumé

This collection of documents is a selection of official British government records pertaining to the creation of OPEC in 1960, and the activities of precursor and related bodies and events from 1947. The volumes cover OPEC’s major meetings from 1960–1973, the reactions and evolving policy decisions on the part of British officials, diplomats and politicians at every level, as well as British interaction, co-operation and differences with the United States and the European Community, through the records of the Cabinet, the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Fuel and Power, Prime Minister’s Office and the Treasury. British records are naturally dominated and informed by the relations with the major domestic oil companies, BP and Shell, through which many of the records tracing OPEC’s activities were obtained.

Arrangement of volumes

Volume 1: 1947-1959
Volume 2: 1960-1963
Volume 3: 1963-1966
Volume 4: 1967-1971
Volume 5: 1971-1972
Volume 6: 1972-1973

Contents Outline

Volume 1: 1947-1959

Western recognition of the need to assert control over world oil stocks
Proposals from International Co-operative Alliance, USA, to place Middle East oil under UN control, 1947/1948
50/50 tax legislation introduced between Saudi Arabia and ARAMCO, 1951
Boycott of oil supplies to Israel 1953
50/50 tax legislation Kuwait, 1954
Proposal for a 75/25 system of tax legislation, 1955
Venezuelan response to the First Arab Oil Experts Congress, 1957
First Arab League Petroleum Congress, Cairo, 1959

Volume 2: 1960-1963

Oil company plans to cut posted prices, 1960
Middle East support for the alternative plans outlined by Peres Alfonso, Venezuelan Minister of Mines, 1960
The creation of OPEC, 1960. Founder members: Iran; Iraq; Kuwait; Saudi Arabia; Venezuela
Resolutions from the 1st , 2nd and 3rd conferences
Qatar becomes an full member of OPEC, 1961
Arab Economic League Council’s proposals for an Arab tanker fleet and pipeline, 1961
Iraq’s demands to increase control of petroleum operations and finances, 1961
OPEC interest in Russian Oil policy, 1961
Iraq/Kuwait dispute, 1961
Reactions in Qatar to the 4th Conference resolutions
OPEC calls for negotiations on oil prices based on posted prices and for long term price policy, on royalty payments and on marketing expenses, 1962
Indonesia and Libya become full members of OPEC, 1962
Negotiations between Iran and the Consortium, and Saudi Arabia and ARAMCO, 1962
Oil companies accept the principle of OPEC, and Mr Rouhani in particular, negotiating on behalf of member states, 1963
Venezuela and OPEC begin to have diverging aims, 1963

Volume 3: 1963-1966

OPEC negotiates with oil companies on behalf of Iran, 1963
British liaison with US State Dept over oil company terms, 1963
Mr Rouhani to represent Saudi Arabia with ARAMCO and Libya with Esso, 1963
Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to Consortium offer ahead of OPEC conference, Beirut 1963
OPEC rejects Consortium offer at Beirut conference
Iraq and Venezuela hold opposing position to Iran, early 1964
Iran’s position within OPEC and the view of the Shah, 1964
ARAMCO negotiations with Saudi Arabia, 1964
Saudi Arabia and Iran liaise on oil company negotiations, 1964
Issue of expensing royalties dominates the 6th Conference, 1964
Commitment by all member states to progressing Resolution IV.32 - on posted prices
Oil companies concede on the Arbitration Clause, January 1965
OPEC moves from Geneva to Vienna, 1965
Resolution IX.61: possible introduction of a planned production programme to limit price falls, 1965
Saudi Arabian comment on the revision of the royalty and expensing payment systems, 1966

Volume 4: 1967-1971

Western opinions regarding the political aspects of the Sixth Arab Petroleum Congress, March 1967
United Arab Emirates become an full member of OPEC, 1967
OPEC having only moderate influence on production programming in Saudi Arabia, 1967
Impact of the Six-Day War: the Arab oil boycott, 1967
UK and US concerns about oil supply, 1967
ARAMCO offer to Saudi Arabia on royalty expensing and the elimination of discounts in return for the reopening of Tapline and the Suez Canal, 1967
The Second International Symposium on Energy, Rome 1968: OPEC statement reporting oil companies agreement to phase out the royalty-expensing allowances between 1967 and 1974
OPEC interest in European energy markets, 1968
Creation of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, 1968, with statement of the aims of OAPEC by Shaikh Zaki Yamani
Meeting of the Representatives of the National Oil Companies of OPEC member countries, 1968
Views held by Shaikh Zaki Yamani as the spokesman for OAPEC, 1968
Libyan moves upon the OPEC Conservation Law, (Petroleum Regulation 8), 1968
Global oil problems: disruption to Middle East oil supplies; slow down in off-take; world oil prices, 1969
Algeria becomes an full member of OPEC, 1969
Revolution in Libya and the new regime, 1969
The potential impact on US oil interests of their political policy in the Middle East, 1969
Implementation and enforcement of Petroleum Conservation regulation No. 8 by Libya, 1969
Libya negotiates successfully with the oil companies, with particular reference to posted prices, 1970
OPEC support for the Algerian Government, 1970
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya and Saudi Arabia create an Inter-ministerial Committee on the implementation of the principle of participation, 1970
Co-ordination of a joint approach by consumer-countries to negotiations with OPEC, 1970
Major oil companies set about creating a joint oil company organisation, 1971
Nigeria becomes an full member of OPEC, 1971
Two ‘factions’ emerge within OPEC: the Gulf producers; and the Mediterranean group, 1971
Oil companies’ strategy for negotiations with both groups: proposals to be presented simultaneously at Tehran and Tripoli, 1971

Volume 5: 1971-1972

The Tehran Agreement, 1971 relating to the Gulf countries of Abu Dhabi, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia
Implications of the Tehran agreement for the Mediterranean group, 1971
OPEC expresses concerns about the devaluation of the dollar, 1971
British government takes opposite view to oil companies regarding conceding the principle of participation, 1971
The Three Nation Committee intend to negotiate on behalf of the Gulf producers in seeking both host-country participation in existing concessions and an offset in real income to compensate for the current monetary crisis and the weak dollar, 1971
Governments and oil companies agree to act jointly in negotiations with OPEC and agree to reactivation of the London Policy Group, 1971
UK fears a threat to oil supplies, Libya seizes £294,000 from ESSO, 1971
Libya nationalises BP, 1971
OECD reviews its relationship with OPEC, 1971
Agreement reached on dollar parity, 1971
Further negotiations on participation at Geneva, 1972

Volume 6: 1972-1973

The principle of participation examined further by the British Government, 1972
ARAMCO/Saudi Arabia and the Consortium/Iran participation negotiations break down, 1972
Saudi Arabian attitudes harden as US major oil companies use hostile tactics, 1972
Iran moves towards greater involvement in oil production independently of OPEC, 1972
ARAMCO reports its concession of the principle of 20% participation to the London Policy Group, 1972
Kuwait Oil Company agrees to 20 % participation, 1972
British government anxious to avoid disruption of supply, 1972
Iraq nationalises IPC, 1972
Algeria associates the nationalisation of the oil company with the battle of the Palestinian people and urges other Arab countries to acquire sovereignty of their oil reserves, 1972
OPEC passes a resolution supporting Iraq, 1972
Saudi Arabia/ARAMCO negotiations stall on the issue of compensation, 1972
Agreement reached in Iran, 1972
Agreement reached in Saudi Arabia: updated book value is accepted in return for security of supply, 1972
Kuwaiti concerns over the timetable for 51% participation because of fears over depletion of reserves and the issue of buy-back oil, 1972
Negotiations on participation continue in Libya, 1972
Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi secure agreements on participation, 1972
Kuwait and Qatar sign the participation agreement, 1973
Iran and Iraq reach agreement with the Consortium, IPC and NIOC, 1973
OPEC discusses economic growth and dollar devaluation, 1973
Consumer countries propose an anti-OPEC coalition, 1973
The Geneva Agreement on currency parity changes is renegotiated, 1973
The transformation of the Arab position by their ability to use oil for political purposes, 1973
Code of practice on pollution to be drawn up, 1973
The negotiations in Vienna, October 1973, signal the final complete transfer of control over the price system into the hands of the producers
OPEC secures a 70% increase in the posted prices, 1973
OAPEC uses the ‘oil weapon’ to support Egypt and Syria in their war against Israel, 1973
Embargoes on the USA and the Netherlands, 1973
Shaikh Ahmed Yamani and Belaid Abdesselam visit oil importing countries to explain the policy objectives of the Arab oil restrictions, 1973
OPEC seeks to create a pricing policy, 1973
OPEC approves a dramatic increase in the price of Arabian crude, December 1973, for the start of the New Year