Is there a possibility for Britain not to leave the Gulf till Oil prices explode? Would they increase so dramatically if Britain retained control of most of the southern half of the Persian Gulf. How would the world react? What would Britain spend all the extra money on?
The oil prices went up because Britain had already left and the Gulf states had independent foreign policies as a result when the Yom Kippur War rolled around. So if Britain still controls those states then the oil price isn't going to go up.
It'd depend on how much blood and treasure the UK would be willing to expend in the post-WW2 years and how well they'd resist US pressure.
Not likely IMO, except in fringe cases.