J.A. Rogers collection on the discovery of oil in Abu Dhabi
Call Number
Dates
Creator
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Abstract
Photographic prints, typescript texts, printed materials, map, related chiefly to the discovery of oil near Das Island, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, 1962-1963.
Biographical note
The J.A. Rogers collection consists of material that appears to have been collected by Lt. Cdr. J.A. Rogers in the early 1960s. Research conducted in April 2021 shows that a J.A. (James Alexander) Rogers (1916-1988) served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II, at the rank of sub-lieutenant from 1940-1946, stationed on a series of Royal Navy vessels based in Plymouth, Gibraltar, and Taranto, Italy.
According to the London Gazette, a sub-lieutenant J.A. Rogers was promoted from the rank of sub-lieutenant to lieutenant with seniority in September 1953 (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40022/page/6290). Based on comments in the typescript text "Off-Shore Drilling," included in this collection, it appears that Rogers spent a year in the southern part of the Arabian Gulf, presumably around 1962, and after that returned to Britain to teach at the Naval Staff College at Greenwich.
The Navy News records a Lt. Cdr. J.A. Rogers being promoted to the rank of Commander in the 6th Mine Countermeasures Squadron, based in Singapore, in which Rogers commanded the squadron and served as commander of the HMS Houghton, in October 1967 (Navy News, Sept. 1967, and Navy News, Feb. 1968, p. 14). The London Gazette also records the reinstatement from retirement, and eventual retirement, of a Commander J.A. Rogers, OBE, in 1979 and 1981.
According to the website "Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) Officers, 1939-1945," J.A. Rogers died in Willand, Cullompton, Devonshire on 7 December 1988 (https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersR2.html).
Although there is no definitive proof that all of these listings for J.A. Rogers refer to the same person, and the creator of this collection, there is a strong likelihood that they do.
Content Description
Photographic prints, typescript texts, printed materials, map, related chiefly to the discovery of oil near Das Island, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, 1962-1963.
Photographs consist of 15 silver-gelatin prints, taken by British Petroleum photographer Guy Gravitt in 1962, depicting the inauguration of oil production at the Umm Shaif oilfield in the Arabian Gulf, as well as portraits of the ruler of Abu Dhabi emirate, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan. These photographs are all captioned on the verso, and were in an envelope addressed to Lt. Cdr. J.A. Rogers of the Royal Navy. In addition, there are three smaller prints, undated, depicting a group of men wearing Arabian national dress over their tuxedos, while on a boat. It is possible that one of the men in this group could be Rogers.
The typescript text consists of lecture notes titled "Off-Shore Drilling," which describe the recent oil discoveries in Abu Dhabi, and were used by Lt. Cdr. J.A. Rogers, presumably at the Royal Navy Staff College in Greenwich, in the early 1960s. The text also includes two maps and one plan, depicting Das Island, the coastline of the Trucial States, and a plan of the Umm Shaif drilling facilities.
One printed item, titled "Abu Dhabi Marine Areas, Ltd.: Persian Gulf Handbook," consists of a guide produced for employees of Abu Dhabi Marine Areas (ADMA), the concession jointly operated by British Petroleum and the Compagnie Francaise des Petroles, to search for oil in the waters off of the coast of Abu Dhabi. The guidebook, containing 23 pages of text, is undated, but likely published around 1954, and describes the history, tribes, and customs of the people of Abu Dhabi.
Other items include a prospectus for a planned real estate development at the base of historic Picklecombe Fort, west of Plymouth, in which Rogers had expressed an interest, from 1963. The collection also includes a map, "Rough Tribal Map of Arabia," which had originally been part of the book "The Arab of the Desert" by H.R.P. Dickson (London: Allen and Unwin, 1949).
Although little information about the provenance is available, the materials appear to have been collected and used by Lieutenant Commander J.A. Rogers of the British Royal Navy.
Subjects
Conditions governing access
The collection is open for use in the Reading Room of the Archives and Special Collections department of the NYU Abu Dhabi Library.
Conditions governing use
This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Preferred citation
Identification of item, date; Lt. Commander J.A. Rogers collection; MC.075; folder number or item identifier; Archives and Special Collections, New York University Abu Dhabi Library.
Immediate source of acquisition
Acquired by purchase, March 2021.
About this Guide
Processing information
Processed by Brad Bauer, April 2021.
Repository
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Map: "Rough Tribal Map of Arabia," from H.R.P. Dickson, "The Arab of the Desert", 1949
Photographs: Inauguration of Umm Shaif Oilfield, plus mailing envelope from BP addressed to Rogers, 28 October 1962
Description of images:
Six images, including Sheikh Shakhbout pressing plunger to begin loading of oil into BP tanker, "British Hussar," images of the "British Hussar" sailing away with first load of crude from Das Island, Sheikh Shakhbout with officials from BP and others in control room, and platform with seated dignataries, watching as H.R. Bridgeman, chairman of BP, gives a speech.
Photographs: Oil drilling barges and oil tanker, at or approaching Das Island (5 images), Undated, circa 1962.
Description of images:
Two images of different oil drilling barges being towed to Das Island, one barge moored at the island, men working on platform of one barge, and a photo of a Japanese oil tanker, "Kowa Maru," arriving at the island.
Photographs: Portraits of Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi emirate, at Qasr al Hosn (3 images), September 1962
Description of images:
Two images of Sheikh Shakhbout standing at the entrance of his palace, Qasr al Hosn, and one portrait in profile.