Bahrain's Largest Oil Find Estimated at 80 Billion Barrels

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The small island-nation of Bahrain says its largest ever discovery of oil amounts to an estimated 80 billion barrels.

The government on Wednesday disclosed details of the find, saying in a press conference that the shale oil was discovered in the offshore Khalij al-Bahrain Basin, which spans some 2,000 square kilometers (770 sq. miles) in shallow waters off the country’s western coast.

The gas that comes with the oil in the basin is estimated at close to 14 trillion cubic feet.

A separate discovery of gas reserves below Bahrain’s main gas reservoir amounts to 10 to 20 trillion cubic feet.

The Arab state is located in the Persian Gulf just east of Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich coastal areas and deserts.