Our cumulative goals for this research assignment.

Let's establish what exactly we want to accomplish with the subject of "A Concise Geopolitical History of Oil the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)". Here are some ideas:

1. What were the first oil fields found; who found them, did they keep control of them. Major oil field developments since the inception of oil in MENA: When was the last giant oil field discovered - how old are some of the biggest oil fields still in use and who has controlled them over the years - what were (are) the geopolitical history of the largest fields in MENA. And so on, basically one point being the geopolitical history of major oil fields in MENA.
   
2. Foreign powers historical and if there is time current role(s) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) A contemporary example being: What's China's current geostrategy in oil development in MENA - inparticularly Sudan. A more historical example being: How did the U.S. or Russian or other major powers oil relations with MENA come into existence and to continue to develop.
3. What were the first major international companies that came and started oil operations after the first discovery of oil in MENA. What was the consequences of this, are those companies still in existence / are they still in MENA? Did these companies impact the political economy of MENA in any way; if so in what way?
   
4. Oil and Islam / the ulema and what role they played and if it was politically motivated
5. History of international embargoes against MENA - why were they implemented - what was the outcome
6. WW1 WW2 Suez Canal and other important events that have affected with oil industry in MENA.
   
7. The history of the political economy of oil in a few key areas, like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Libya, Kuwait etc. and the continuous development of their geostrategy, and their occupiers / international companies geostrategies
8. (IF there is time - I think we've agreed to focus more on the geopolitical HISTORY of oil in MENA, and less about contemporary issues) Future of these countries undergoing revolutions - what do they mean for current oil operations? Would oil exports and operations change under different rule? What are the possible outcomes and their geostratigic importance
9. Basically the effects that the oil industry in MENA has had on society, religion, culture, and the political economy of MENA since the first discovery of oil in MENA.
   
10. Were there already foreign companies / governments extracting different types of minerals in MENA - were those companies merged into an oil industry or continue to focus on what they were already extracting? Were there any particular historical figures that played a major role in the transition of industry?
11. MENA slavery and the oil industry
12. Did the price / demand of other resources currently being extracted by domestic or international forces fluctuate with the discovery of oil?
    
13. MENA different Empires and their relationship to the oil industry
14. MENA incumbent Empires at the time of the discovery of oil, and their initial response, and international empires and states. Were political or even religious leaders put in place to further any kind of oil development agenda by foreign or domestic powers?