when was oil discovered in qatar
History of Qatar: The Discovery of Oil. History of Qatar: The Discovery of Oil Last updated on Thursday 22nd April 2010. Petroleum was discovered in commercial quantities in Qatar in 1939 and was first exported in 1949. Oil revenues have given Qatar a substantial income and a high standard of living. Exploratory drilling in Qatar began in 1938 and Oil was discovered in Dukhan on the west coast in 1939. By 1940 Qatar was producing about 4,000 barrels per day.