Saudi Aramco has said it will boost drilling of oil wells by 61 per cent next year as part of a drive to raise national production to 12.5 million barrels a day.

A statement said the company's executives had approved a development plan for 2006 that included the drilling of 61 per cent more oil wells than it drilled this year.
The state-owned oil giant expects its fleet of drilling-rigs to more than double from year-end 2004 through 2006.
Saudi Arabia has pledged to raise its oil production capacity from 11 million barrels a day to 12.5 million -- an increase of 13.6 per cent.
Saudi Aramco said the increase in the number of rigs and development wells reflects "an unprecedented corporate push to increase oil output to help meet burgeoning global demand".
It said in September that it planned to expanding its drilling rig fleet by 100 per cent over a two-year period.
Aramco’s operating plan is based on the company's 2006-2010 Business Plan, which focuses on increasing Aramco's contribution to the kingdom's revenues and on actively promoting development of the local economy, senior vice-president of exploration and producing, Abd Allah S Al Saif, said.
During 2006, the company also plans to execute four major projects, and it will seek new business opportunities in petrochemicals and other derivative products to develop the country's industrial base, and stimulate growth.