olie gevonden in Perzië = eerste olievondst in Midden-Oosten

BP's origins date back to May 1901, when a wealthy Englishman, William Knox D'Arcy, obtained a concession from the Shah of Persia to explore for and develop the oil resources of that country. As exploration continued, costs mounted, stretching D'Arcy's resources to the point where he sought outside financial assistance. This came in 1905 from the Burmah Oil Company, which provided new funds for D'Arcy's venture. In May 1908, he struck oil at Masjid-i-Suleiman in southwest Persia. It was the first commercial oil discovery in the Middle East.



In 1909, Anglo-Persian Oil was formed to develop the oil field. Later renamed as British Petroleum, the company's name was shortened to BP to reflect a continuing global expansion. Over the years, BP made many important discoveries, including fields in the North Sea near Scotland and at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.

http://www.bpfutures.com/about_bp/history.asp (20030915)