But exploration continued and, much to the delight of Abu Dhabi's 20,000 citizens, oil was eventually found in 1954 at Bab.

➣Four years later, the first offshore discovery was made at the Umm Shaif offshore field close to Das Island in 1958.

The Das project used an underwater drilling barge that had to be towed almost 11,000 kilometers from Germany by tugboats. 

➣The discovery of oil transformed Abu Dhabi from rags to riches!

➣The offshore commercial discoveries followed,  Zakum in 1964 and Abu Al Bukhoosh and Umm Al Dalkh in 1969.

Onshore, Bu Hasa, Asab, Shah, Sahil and Al Dabbiya were all discovered by 1969. When production commenced in 1962, a mere 14,200 barrels left the ground every day. The following year, production had risen by more than 200 per cent to 48,200 barrels per day (bpd).

➣By  1971, Abu Dhabi become a major player in the oil industry and the fourth largest producer for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec).

Sheikh Zayed, then Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, used new oil wealth to foster a sense of unity amongst the disparate emirates.

➣Sheikh Zayed put pressure on the foreign oil companies to increase exploration and production so that his ambitious modernization programme could be paid for, he maintained a cooperative attitude towards them.

➣Abu Dhabi joined Opec in 1967. With the creation of the UAE, the emirates spoke with one voice at the organization.

➣After the founding of the UAE in 1971, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) was created. It ended up taking a 60 per cent stake in the onshore production arm, Adco, and the offshore arm, Adma-Opco. Adnoc's portfolio continued to grow. Today, 16 subsidiaries are under the umbrella of the national oil company.

Crude oil production in Abu Dhabi increased steadily to an initial peak of two million bpd in 1977. After a decline in global demand, production fell, but has increased most years from 1986.

Abu Dhabi currently produces about 2.5 million bpd, making use of almost its entire capacity.

Abu Dhabi plans to increase production to 3.5 million bpd and several expansion projects are under way.

Oil has had a big part to play in bringing the nation together and, after 40 years of statehood, a big story is turning epic