Author: Creepy_Camel

When oil was first discovered, the world witnessed a social transition. Oil was not only a source of providing energy to industries but it was an important socio-cultural marker of modernity. Researchers and artists in The Petrocultures Research Group (PRG) in their work ‘After Oil’ discuss that energy transition is not just a phenomenon that can be solved by technology or supply-side policies but remains a very sociological and anthropological phenomenon. For example, during the era of petromodernity, the discovery of oil had a huge impact in the way and quality of everyday life. However, in modern times we can see another shift of energy sources. The world is gradually shifting from oil and other fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources hence, marking yet another energy transition. Similar to oil, this has also marked the beginning of an energy transition impacting the quality and way of life for many, aiming for a more sustainable lifestyle. Yet, sustainability still remains a luxury. 

With FIFA 2022 at its doorstep, Qatar has taken this as an opportunity to advance its sustainable development agenda which is mentioned in the Qatar National Vision 2030 as ‘Management of the environment such that there is harmony between economic growth, social development and environmental protection.’ This began the construction of deconstructible stadiums, smart cities, electronic/hybrid public transport systems,etc. Even though these projects mark the country’s transition from oil dependency to sustainable energy sources, oil still remains at the heart of life in Doha with sustainability as a luxury for many. Apart from the buildings in Msheireb and most of Lusail, more than 90% of the electricity in the rest of Doha is generated using fossil fuels. Moreover, housing in Lusail and Msheireb, the two smart cities in Qatar, is relatively upscale and expensive compared to other parts of Doha and Qatar. Thus, making them luxurious and exclusive to people of certain socio-economic backgrounds. This was highlighted in the previous post where workers were forced to evacuate without compensation or housing in Msheireb to make way for the smart and future of life in Doha. Apart from housing, even hotels in these areas are generally upscale, starting from 500 QAR a night, making them much more expensive than those in other parts of the city hence reserving them for certain population demographics. 

Apart from housing and hospitality, Qatar boasts an environmentally friendly public transportation system. However, it is not considered the most efficient mode of transportation around the city. With limited access to all parts of the city and extensive bus links, an average 10 minute journey transforms to a 25 minute journey. This makes it quite inefficient for an individual to travel using public transport. Thus, low fuel prices and easy availability of cars makes it easier to drive around rather than depend on public transport. Hence, sustainability is considered a luxury especially since time is a luxury for many. This prompts the question of energy transition from oil to renewable energy facing obstacles or being at an ‘impasse’ as mentioned in the After Oil by the PRG researchers. Thus, sustainability is at the heart of development and macro level projects in Doha but its transition to everyday life of majority in Doha remains an unanswered question. 

As mentioned in the previous post, the discovery of oil triggered a wave of modernization and initiated the development of the luxury-based society we see in Qatar today.‘Company House; one of the museums in Msheireb, has posed as a great example exhibiting the journey of petro-modernity in Qatar. However an interesting feature of the museum’s exhibit is that it narrates the journey of Qatar’s modernisation through the experience of the ‘pioneers’, the first Qatari oil workers. The exhibition displays the personal anecdotes in the form of video interviews and personal belongings of some of those workers. As the discovery of oil in Qatar promised Bergthaller’s ‘good life’, it was far from the case for many of these workers and also those that came decades later in the after oil era. 

Even though the discovery of oil was supposed to bring about a transition in the lifestyle and society in Qatar, the first oil company in Qatar was set up and run by the British which employed the Qatari workforce to work the oil site. Despite the profits generated by oil exports, most of these Qatari workers and families were still facing difficult living conditions. A part of the exhibition mentions how many of these workers worked far away from home and families in Dukhan which was 80+ km away from Doha. These workers were often required to walk half their way to Doha in the desert heat at times due to the lack of transportation available to them. Moreover, the development of the first dispensary and school in Doha was also for the protection of the British men and women residing in the Qatari peninsula working for the British Oil Company, This was under the agreement signed between the British authorities and the Qatari Emir to assure the protection of the British residing in the area. There was very little intrinsic care and concern for the Qatari workers and their families. 

However, decades later where Msheirb, the historical site where many Qatari oil workers used to reside, is built to be this post-modern, futuristic city built entirely on a sustainable model. The building of this project similar to the British Oil Company has hired low income workers from countries in South and SouthEast Asia. Many of these workers resided in the area of Msheireb and were asked to evacuate their residences overnight and as per the report by ‘mint’ forced to sleep on the streets to make way for the construction that was known to be the Msheireb Downtown. Despite being a representative of the after oil era, this transition from oil to sustainability was also supposed to also be a version of social transition. However, even though Msheireb is an epitome of luxury with its hotels, cafes, malls and luxury apartments, its cost of living is tailored for a very particular audience from a specific socio-economic background and this displacement of workers for its construction is one sign how sustainability is a luxury in Doha that cannot be trickled down to the everyday life of many similar to the luxury of petro modernity which was not translated to all. Hence, Bergthaller’s vision of a good life for all remains an unanswered question. 

The Oil-Based Foundation of Qatar’s Sustainable and Luxurious Society

Modernization has been a key element in developing a society based on luxury. Over the course of time, modernization has taken up different forms with the most important being industrialization that began in the 16th century. It was the process where nations transformed their agriculture based economies towards manufacturing based ones. This involved the use of fossil fuels as they helped power different machines,etc. However, with time, the world discovered different elements to generate energy from with the most valued being Oil. With the discovery of oil, the world witnessed a certain wave of ‘modernity’ alongside socio-economic and cultural transitions for many. Hannes Bergthaller in his work titled “Fossil Freedoms” introduces us to the idea of ‘petro-modernity’. He refers to the idea of a new era of modernity that the world witnessed after discovering oil as this helped develop motorized transportation, lubricants, fertilizers, etc. and helped the building of a luxury based consumer society, which exists till date. Signs and products of petro-modernity are still visibly present around the world in the form of emblems of modernity. 

The luxurious lifestyle that we witness today as the brand image of Qatar is a product of petro-modernity as well. The first site for oil exploration in Qatar was set up in the 1930s. This was known as the beginning of a new era of development in life and society in Qatar. Company House – one of the 4 museums under Msheireb Museums, proudly displays the interactions of the Qatari nation and its people with petro-modernity in the heart of sustainability in Qatar, Msheireb. This museum sponsored by the one of the largest oil companies, Shell, is situated in Msheireb which is the first of its kind in promoting sustainable luxuries in Qatar, with its LEED certified buildings, electric-powered tram, pedestrian friendly infrastructure and many more sustainable features. One of the exhibits in the Company House museum includes the anecdotes and experience of the first oil workers of Qatar. This exhibit includes personal belongings, quotations and pictures of the first oil workers in Qatar, which explains the tedious journey of the pioneers of the oil industry in Qatar, which resulted in the development of a modern, luxurious society. One of the anecdotes of a worker talks about how the discovery of oil then meant establishing modern schools and clinics; however, the changes in the society were much more ‘dramatic’. Bergthaller while explaining petro-modernity explains that the discovery of oil did not only fuel cars or airplanes but also fuelled ‘aspirations and visions of a good life’ which can be seen in this particular exhibition of the Company House Museum.

Furthermore, the establishment of this museum in the very first house which was the headquarters of the first oil company in Qatar in the most luxurious part of the country, Msheireb – an entirely sustainable smart city, explains the connection between the heritage and the development the same nation has experienced over the decades beginning with the discovery of oil. This also furthers the idea of sustainable luxuries built on the foundation of Oil. This museum also serves as an important way to understand the role that discovery of oil plays in the modern urban development of Qatar as decades later, the nation today is an emblem of a luxurious lifestyle in the world.