Royal Decree No. M-27 of 7 September 1968 - Project regulations relating to ownership of Red Sea resources
Made 1968 · Text as of 2026-10-01
Public law and official guidance, published as research. Not legal, tax or financial advice.
About this law
- Language
- English
- Kind
- Regulation
- Organisation
- Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Subjects
- Mineral resources, Sea
- Keywords
- minerals, maritime zone, continental shelf, EEZ-Exclusive Economic Zone
- Categories
- energy, metals-base, metals-precious, minerals-critical
Where to read it
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Text
The law's own text, section by section, as held. Each section has its own link.
Section 1 The Saudi Arabia Kingdom owns all the hydrocarbon materials and minerals existing in the strata of the seabed and this is in respect to the zone extending in the Red Sea bed adjacent to the Saudi continental shelf, which materials and minerals are hereinafter referred to as "resources".
Section 2 These "resources" are deemed to be a part of the Saudi Territory and to be treated as the property of the state according to the first section of mining regulations in respect to which Royal Decree No. 90 dated 11/9/82 has been issued.
Section 3 The Government of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom alone shall have the individual right to explore and mine these "resources" and to exploit them and nobody, public or private, national or foreign, can exercise any form of this right except with the express permit from the competent Saudi Authorities and in accordance with the regulations applicable in the Saudi Arabia Kingdom. And the Government of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom may exercise its rights in exploring or mining these "resources" and exploiting them by way of sharing with the neighbouring governments which have similar rights recognised by the Government of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom in common zones.
Section 4 These "resources" shall not be owned by possession or prescription and the rules of limitation by lapse of time shall not apply to the ownership of the state thereto.
Section 5 The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources shall be the competent authority to supervise these "resources" and to apply the Saudi rules and regulations relating thereto.
Section 6 The application of these regulations shall not affect the description of the high seas or obstruct navigation therein within the limits provided for by the established rules of public international law. National legislation - DOALOS/OLA - United Nations asdf