Oil Companies

This chapter establishes a causal relationship between foreign political orders and oil companies in the Persian Gulf. Under the British informal colonial order, only British oil companies were allowed to operate in the oil fields of the region. In the postcolonial American informal imperial order, American oil companies had the privilege to sign contracts with the host governments. Anglo-American governments thus gave priority to their national oil companies, supported them financially, provided security by establishing military bases, and used them as a means of foreign policy objectives. In this oil business, they allowed the friends but prevented the enemies from access to the oil riches of the region. In this chapter, I will explore how the raised foreign flags in the Persian Gulf have attracted oil companies, using the colonial discourse of Trade follows the flag.