Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — Russia and Saudi Arabia have been negotiating a multi-billion-dollar project to develop natural gas reserves in the Gulf Arab kingdom.

Officials said the state-owned Saudi Aramco was holding talks with Russia’s LukOil to develop gas reserves in Saudi Arabia.

The officials said the kingdom’s Empty Quarter, despite a decade of exploration failures, could contain up to 600 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Aramco said it was offering new models to gain the participation of LukOil, Russia’s second largest energy contractor.

The officials said the negotiations with LukOil included an evaluation of gas reserves and the option to drill deep beneath the vast southeastern Saudi desert.

“This would be a very expensive project and would require a major payback for any contractor,” an official said.

  LukOil, Russia, Saudi Aramco, Saudi in talks for multi-billion gas reserves development