NEW OIL and gas discoveries were made by Saudi Aramco earlier this year, adding valuable new reserves to the company's resources portfolio.

The discoveries were made in three fields close to the Ghawar field, which is the world's largest.

According to Saudi Aramco, the finds totalled 33.15 million cu ft per day of sweet gas and 5,770 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil. The largest of the three discoveries - 28 million cu ft per day of sweet gas and 400 bpd of condensates - was made in Jufayn-1 well East of Ghawar.

Another 2,300 bpd of oil and 1.15 million cu ft per day of gas was discovered in Warid-1 well in the Khurais area, some 100 km West of Ghawar. Approximately 3,470 bpd of oil and four million cu ft per day of sweet gas was found in Tukhman-2 well, 160 km South of Ghawar.