OIL AND PARTITION IN ALGERIA

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3
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RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
10
Document Creation Date: 
December 9, 2016
Document Release Date: 
May 16, 2001
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 23, 1957
Content Type: 
IM
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PDF icon CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3.pdf454.27 KB
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SECRET NOFORN CIA/RR-GM-4 23 August 1957 OIL AND PARTITION IN ALGERIA Approved For Rel 0T G f( DP84-00825R000100480001-3 0 A, FILES Copy No. GEOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 SECRE proved For Release 2001/08/07: CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 NOFORN OIL AND PARTITION IN ALGERIA French plans for Algerian Partition have been complicated during the past year by the discovery of oil in the Sahara Desert. From the French standpoint, no partition without French control of the Saharan oil wealth could be entertained. In fact, the French are so determined to retain the wealth of the Sahara, no matter what the outcome of the struggle in the north, that they have separated the two problems. They point out that legally the Sahara has been and is separate from the north, that it forms a separate geographic region, that it is under effective French military control, and that no element in the north has exercised control over the Sahara in modern history. The proposal for partition of Algeria, although still evolving, appears to involve the establishment in northern Algeria of several territories, largely autonomous units to be delimited on an ethnic basis. The Southern Territories has become two departments, which remain part of France. From a nationalistic Algerian standpoint, military success without Saharan oil revenue would mean abandoning the goal of an economically viable state. Any nationalist government that accepted such a solution would ultimately be subject to the charge that it had sold its birthright. The French are now faced with the problem of getting oil out of the Sahara. Although stability of the entire area is important, oil discoveries during the past year emphasize accessibility to market as the controlling factor. The French are reluctant to risk heavy investment in a pipeline and rail route that would traverse the rebel-infested territory in northern Algeria, and they are now making plans to take the oil to the Mediterranean Sea by means of a pipeline through Libya. French West Africa to the south is rebel-free, but distances to market are much greater than for any other route, and independence for the area is conceded to be less than a decade away. The French solution depends on the location of known oilfields and of concessions where oil may be discovered. The major oil discoveries in Algeria are confined to the Sahara, and to date all concessions are in the hands of French-controlled companies. The southernmost field consists of three structures in east-central Algeria near the Libyan border and about 350 air miles from the nearest point on the Mediterranean coast. The Edjele structure straddles the Libyan frontier and includes 11 wells (of which 7 are producers) strung out for a distance of 4+3 miles westward toward the interior. The eastward extension of the field into Libya has not been determined. On the immediate westward flank of Edjele is Tiguentourine with 3 wells -- all producers and, like most of the Edjele wells, all shallow. A third structure has been found at Zarzaitine, 18 miles north of Edjele. At present the field with the largest potential is Hassi Messaoud, 50 miles southeast of Ouargla. The French claim that this discovery has a reserve of 7 billion barrels. Hassi Messaoud is only 200 miles from the Libyan border to the southeast and could be tied into a gathering system with the three southern structures. Somewhat eclipsed by the discovery of oil has been the discovery of a new gas field in the northern Sahara between Laghouat and Ghardaia. The area also contains two oil pools of undetermined character. The French had planned to build an atomic energy plant at Nemours, 300 miles northwest of the field, to alleviate the power shortage of northwestern Algeria. The gas field is noteworthy primarily because it reduces the urgency for installing an expensive atomic plant and points to the development of cheap power from local sources. The French plan to use 75 percent of the gas for production of electricity; without doubt the rebels, also, are interested in the gas field. Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 Approved For Release 290,1/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 PORTUGAL GIBRALTAR (U.K.) 4 TLANTIC OCEAN IFNI (Spain) J irk p, RA Casabla 0 O C, f 0 G } 'q- F R E N C H W E S T A F R I C A 25X6 100 200 300 Statute Miles 100 200 300 Kilometers SECRET Laghouat' Hass; R'mel / Gas Field Zarzaifiney Tiguenfourine Edjele, 0 1'a 10 A fourth area of potential oil production, the SAFREP* concession, is as yet inadequately explored. It is located south of the Wadi Draa where Algerian territory comes within 180 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. About half of the concession lies in territory of unresolved sovereignty along the Algerian-Moroccan frontier. The French have taken concrete steps to capitalize on their oil discoveries. These discoveries are separated from their markets by foreign powers on the east and west, by rebel activity on the north, and by vast distances on the south. The first major Saharan strike occurred at Edjele boundary. For a time, Libyan concurrence was hard to obtain; along the undemarcated section of the Algerian-Libyan boundary. In fact, at the time the strike occurred, there was fully as much evidence that it was on Libyan territory as on French territory. For 37 years the French had been content to let this boundary remain undemarcated, but with the discovery of oil they set to work to obtain an agreement to demarcate the within Algeria. any rate the rent were a e to move the boundary eastward in paces, thus definitely incorporating the initial oil strike q A Algero, E A N e 0 Nemaurs T E R R I T O R I E S SICILY Tripoli Approved For Release 2001/lff ,1-RDP84-008258000100480001-3 NOFORN Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 Approved For Releajb/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 NOFORN With ownership practically assured, the French have announced that they intended to terminate a pipeline from eastern Algeria at some point on the coast of Libya or possibly Tunisia. The decision was buttressed by the placement of orders for pipe. The French have also taken steps to assure their possession of any oil discovered in western Algeria. Although the French have always maintained that no boundary had been agreed upon between Algeria and Morocco in this part of the Sahara, they said in 1954 that, if cartographic portrayal of the boundary were necessary, line "A" on the accompanying map would.be satisfactory. In July 1957 the Institut Geographique National, the official French mapping agency, became alarmed about the boundary portrayal it had agreed to in 1954, which had begun to appear on maps made by U.S. Government - agencies. The agency then took steps to disown its previous recommendation - going so far as to say it might be forced to take the matter up with the Foreign Office -- and now insists that no boundary be shown. The eversal of French thinking resulted from the grant to SAFREP in June 1956 of concession that extended as far north as line "B" and the desire to clear the way for claiming any oil that might be discovered in the area between the two lines. In order to assure an outlet for western Aerian through oil, Franncethas made a deal with Spain, preferring to build a pipeline rather than Moroccan. The sovereignty of the strip of land separating - Algeria from the Atlantic Ocean and lying between the Wadi Draaad 27?OO'N 1 r On the basis of pertinent ea t c called Southern Morocco -- is no 'it d States Government to be sound, he Un e the Moroccan claim is believed b ain but the area is controlled by Sp urtner complications may eve op from the interest at A er can companies in obtaining concessions in the area between 27?40'N and the Wadi Draa. Conclusions The French Government is determined to keep the oil wealth of Algeria under French control, free from any local nationalistic influence. It is reluctant to firm up any plans for taking substantial quantities of present or potential Saharan oil northward through rebellious areas but instead has concentrated on assuring accessibility of the oil to the Mediterranean Sea through Libya and to the Atlantic Ocean via Spanish Sahara. In the minds of the French, Algerian partition is question that is limited in area to northern Algeria and does not apply to the Sahara. Saharan Algeria and its oil cannot be ignored by the rebels the rest of the Arab world, and whether they will tolerate any French pipeline in the area remains to be seen. * Soci6t Anonyme Fran9aise de Recherches et d'Exploitations Petrolieres. 25X6 Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 Approved For Release 2001/0*0 W"w 1-1 Distribution: 0&1 - essee (w/1 copy of GM) 2 - A (x/1 copy of GM) 2 - Ch/G 1-D/G 1-D/GC C R Ch/G:JAB:. /535(3G Aug 1957) Approved For Release 2001/08/07 :CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 afidtLI'mm Approved For (ease 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-0082500100480001-3 X I SOUS Date I Analyst I Fd1tor P Coord,, Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 Report No ; ..! Editor I Cadre' o I Typist Approved Fob Release 28"01708/ 7 : CIA-RD P84=008'2: '00100480001-3 CRUI L . i'?MLIGENCE AGENCY GEography Divisicon-, ORR Pral ect In .tiation Memorandum 25X1A `dos Chefs Get-,,yraphtc Research Project No : 62.1580 Frv,ne Ci"Aief G vrcaphy Division titer 21 u pct 5-7 I. Subject of Propooed Project: Oil and Partition in Algeria 2 a State ~c nt of Problem: The i{ ren0b problem of getting oil out of the Sahara 3 b and, at the s ; eke tyre, purwair}g tiro pacification Of the courrveyo Requesters Self-in:i dated Ira Responsible Analyst: GGf N 5. Kind and tone of Cooperation Desired from: One snap to be prepared by D/GC 6. Eat:i ted Man Houres 100 In D/GG 70 Probable Complexion Dates August 1.$57 8. Form of Final Publication: CIA - !4 hief, Geography Pivlsion Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00825R000100480001-3 C- 0-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I--A-L 1 UNCLASSIFIED C ENTIAL SECRET CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP TO NAME AND DDRESS INITIALS DATE 2 W /vrrt 2 ~o taw`. 4 471 5 6 TION DIRECT REPLY PREPARE REPLY APPROVAL DISPATCH RECOMMENDATION COMMENT FILE RETURN CONCURRENCE INFORMATION SIGNATURE Remarks : FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER ROM: NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO. DATE F N`P 237 Replaces Form 30-4 which may be used.