First Oil Well

Oil rose in the well in October 1931 and flowed commercially on 2 June 1932, the first commercial discovery anywhere on the Arab side of the Gulf, and what followed changed the economy of the whole peninsula within a generation. The original wellhead stands preserved below Jebel Dukhan with a small museum beside it covering the drilling and the years that followed. The well continued producing for decades after the discovery.

What you actually see

• The original wellhead - the structure preserved on the discovery site.
• The 1932 date - the first commercial oil found on the Arab side of the Gulf.
• The museum - the small display covering the drilling and its aftermath.
• The desert setting - open ground below Jebel Dukhan.

When to go

November to March is the comfortable season. The museum keeps limited hours and closes on some days. Summer heat in the interior is severe.

Honest expectations

The site is small and the museum hours are unreliable. It is a forty minute drive from Manama for what amounts to a wellhead and a room. The surroundings are working oil field.

Nearby

Jebel Dukhan is above it, and Manama is north.