MEED reported that the Saudi plan, expected to be approved by the
company and the Oil Ministry over the next two weeks, also stipulated a 40
percent increase in oil exploration investment. This would mean that Aramco
would invest $13.7 billion, up from the original target of $10.7 billion.
    Saudi Arabia, under U.S. pressure to bolster oil production, intends to
increase oil output capability to 12.5 million barrels a day by 2010. So
far, Riyad has been pumping 8.5 million barrels of oil per day, short of its
maximum capacity.
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