ABU DHABI. Oct 9: Gull oil producers are gradually switching to the costlier but more productive method of horizontal drilling as part of plans to upgrade their crude output capacity. experts said yesterday, reports AFP.

Saudi Arabia and other oil heavyweights in the region have introduced advanced horizontal drilling technology to replace the old vertical technique in crude production.

They are gradually relying more on the horizontal drilling, which is becoming a worldwide technique." said Brendon O'Toole, a drilling superintendent at the National Drilling Company (NDC) of Abu Dhabi.

'This technique is more expensive but much more productive. The additional costs could be more than offset by the excess production." he told AFP.

OTooie spoke at an international oil drilling conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). which has grouped nearly 350 officials and experts from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other countries.

The three-day conference of the International Association of Drilling Contractors, entitled "Drilling and development challenges in the 21st century,” will cover horizontal and vertical drilling, oil exploration operations and the latest technology in the field.

O'Toole said horizontal drilling could cost more than double the vertical operation but produce nearly three times.

He said horizontal drilling was vital for oil production in Gulf countries given their huge fields and plans to boost capac-ity.

"In the coming years. 1 believe the horizontal technique will dominate production operations in the Gulf oil sector. But they will keep vertical drilling in exploration activities because the use of horizontal drilling in exploration could be a waste of money." he said.

"The vertical drilling requires much more advanced and complicated equipment, which is now available In most Gulf states."

Delegates said the technique

was now widely used In Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil producer and exporter. The UAE. another major oil power, introduced it around three years ago and more companies are shifting to it.

Kuwait lias also imported such technology while it is in

its first stages in the other GCC members — Oman. Qatar and Bahrain.

Experts at the conference said horizontal operations should be preceded by vertical drilling of up to 6.000 feet (1 800 metres). That is the case in the UAE.