Saudi Arabia to Exploit Red Sea Gas Resources

Saudi Arabia has ordered a record number of rigs for energy exploration in 2013, Worldtribune.com has reported.

The website citing industry analysts said that state-owned Saudi Aramco would acquire and operate more than 170 rigs for natural gas exploration in the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom.

The sources said Aramco has ordered additional rigs to maintain the pace of its gas exploration and development projects, the website said.

“The rigs will also be used for additional crude oil development,” a source said.

Aramco has been directed to accelerate its gas production projects in an attempt to reduce dependency on crude oil. Major exploration was taking place in the Red Sea near the northern Saudi port of Tabouk.