Abdullah al-Tariki
| Abdullah Tariki | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources | |
|
In office December 1960 – 9 March 1962 |
|
| Prime Minister | King Saud |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Ahmed Zaki Yamani |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
19 March 1919 Zulfi, Saudi Arabia |
| Died | 7 September 1997 (aged 78) Cairo, Egypt |
| Nationality | Saudi Arabian |
| Alma mater |
Cairo University University of Texas |
| Religion | Islam |
Abdullah ibn Hamoud Tariki (19 March 1919 – 7 September 1997) (Arabic: عبدالله الطريقي), also known as Red Sheikh, was a Saudi politician and government official. He was the first Saudi oil minister appointed by King Saud, and co-founder of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) along with Venezuelan minister Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso.
Tariki was born on 19 March 1919 in Al Zulfi (Arabic: الزلفي) in Najd. He was the son of a camel owner who organized caravans between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Tariki received his early education in Kuwait and in Cairo. He held a bachelor's degree in geology and chemistry, which he obtained from Cairo University in 1944. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1947, earning a master's degree in petroleum engineering and geology. He was also trained at the Texas Oil Company after graduation.
After training in the US, Tariki returned to Saudi Arabia and worked at the ministry of finance office in Dammam from May 1953 to December 1954. He served as an interpreter at the initial phase of his career at the ministry. In December 1954, Tariki was appointed director-general of petroleum and mineral affairs in the ministry of finance and national economy.
Tariki's work at the directorate involved processing the petroleum production statistics provided by Aramco, and analysis summaries were then presented to the Saudi royal family. In fact, Tariki was one of the earliest critics of Aramco, arguing that the US companies should consult more with Saudi officials in exploring, pumping and selling of oil. He called for the nationalization of Arab oil. To achieve this goal, he and Venezuela's mines minister Juan Pablo Perez Alfonso strongly supported the foundation of the OPEC and eventually became founding members of it in September 1960.
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