Mar 25, Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed its willingness to help Sri Lanka in its oil exploration and refinery projects.

Saudi media reports said the Kingdom has made this announcement after bilateral talks between Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al Naimi and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development A.H.M. Fowzie yesterday.

The Sri Lankan Minister following the discussion had revealed that Sri Lanka is expecting to get Saudi expertise for the proposed expansion of country’s refinery capability from 50,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day.

Also, the Minister had revealed that there is a high probability for finding oil in the Mannar basin that covers almost 35,000 square kilometers that stretch from Mannar to Kalutara, the reports added. Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Petroleum has expressed his government’s readiness to exchange their expertise with Sri Lanka in the field of oil exportation.