1. Abu Dhabi: Oil was first discovered in commercial quantities in Abu Dhabi in the 1950s. The discovery was made by the Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Limited (ADMA), a joint venture between British Petroleum (BP) and Compagnie Francaise des Petroles (CFP). The first major oil field in Abu Dhabi was discovered in 1958 at Umm Shaif.
2. Dubai: The discovery of oil in Dubai came a few years later. Commercial quantities of oil were first found in Dubai in 1966 by Dubai Petroleum Company (DPC), a joint venture between Dubai's government and ConocoPhillips. The Fateh field, located offshore Dubai, was the first major oil field to be discovered.
3. Sharjah: In Sharjah, the search for oil began in the early 1960s. Commercial quantities of oil were discovered in Sharjah in 1972 by the Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC). The Sajaa field, located onshore Sharjah, was the first significant oil discovery in the emirate.
4. Other Emirates: Oil exploration and discovery efforts later extended to other emirates, such as Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Fujairah. However, the major oil and gas reserves are concentrated in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Overall, the 1950s and 1960s marked the period when oil was discovered in the UAE, leading to the development of the country's oil industry and subsequent economic prosperity.
