Saudi Arabia has discovered two new oilfields near Ghawar, the world's largest field, Oil Minister Ali Al Naimi said.

Output from one of the fields was light crude with an API gravity measure of 35 degrees. The Derwaza-1 well on that field, 70 km southeast of Ghawar, produced 5,569 barrels per day of oil and 2.8 million cubic feet per day of gas.

The second field produced heavy crude with an API gravity of 27.4 degrees, the SPA news agency said.

The Mabrouk-1 well there, 30 km southeast of Ghawar, produced 5,600 barrels per day of heavy crude and 2 million cubic feet per day of associated gas.

Actual production levels from the fields would exceed the levels from the two wells, SPA said.

Saudi Arabia holds a quarter of the world's oil reserves, with about 260 billion barrels.

Al Naimi announed another oil and gas discovery near Ghawar in February. Reuters