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Brief history of the territory (USA)
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the USA in the South Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Samoan Island chain west of the Cook Islands and north of Tonga consisting of the main island of Tutuila, the 3-island Manu’a Group and 2 reefs; Rose Atoll and Swains Island.
The islands were probably first inhabited 3,500 years ago during the migration of the Lapitan Austronesian people eastwards from Southeast Asia. A Dutchman was the first European to sight them in 1722. A French explorer named them the Navigator Islands in 1768.
The indigenous Samoans were at first feared and it was not until the 1830s when English missionaries and traders began settling. By 1890 vessels were using Tutuila as a refuelling station and for whaling.
After 2 civil wars the 1899 Tripartite Convention partitioned the islands with the eastern group becoming a territory of the USA.
Formally occupied by the USA in 1900 (Tutuila) and 1904 (Manu’a), they became known as the US Naval Station of Tutuila. In 1911 the islands were renamed American Samoa. Swains Island, which had been a bonded guano island under the Guano Islands Act, was annexed in 1925.
Tuna products are the main exports and the territory’s main trading partner is the USA. The US army is also an important employer.
Oil and gas summary
American Samoa comprises 5 mountainous islands (Tutuila, Aunu'u, Ofu, Olosega, Tau) and two coral atolls (Swains and Rose Atoll). It also includes the Vailulu'u Seamount, an active submerged volcano, 45 kms east of Tau.
The main island of Tutuilla and the 3-island Manu’a group are volcanic while Swains island and Rose Atoll are coral reefs, all within oceanic crust of the Pacific tectonic plate.
The Samoan volcanic island chain probably arose as the Pacific tectonic plate moved from east to west over a mantle plume known as the Samoa hotspot. The volcanic islands and seamounts further away from the Samoa hotspot should be progressively older.
However, Savai'i, the most western of the Samoan islands (part of the country of Samoa), erupted relatively recently. The Tonga Trench lies just to the south of the island group and it is possible that the volcanoes have a mixed origin associated with both the hotspot and the subduction event along this collision boundary.
In any case the geology precludes oil and gas and Globalshift regards American Samoa to have no oil and gas potential onshore and offshore.
American Samoa has no history of production and no exploration wells have ever been drilled on land or in its surrounding waters.
AMERICAN SAMOA
Map and National Flag
AUSTRALASIA
Beach scene
Australasia
Capital
Population
Land area (sq kms)
Oil prod (000s b/d)
Gas prod (bcm/yr)
Oil cons (000s b/d)
Gas cons (bcm/yr)
Pago Pago
0.07 mm
199
None
None
4
None
Government
American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the USA, is a self-governing presidential democracy. The Governor is head of government elected for a 4-year term. The President of the USA is Head of State.
Legislative power is vested in the 2-chamber Fono. The House of Representatives has 21 members, elected for 2-year terms.
The Senate has 18 members elected for 4-year terms by the chiefs (matai) of the islands.
American Samoa has no department responsible for oil and gas resources.