QUITO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Visiting OPEC Secretary-General Abdalla El-Badri Friday promised to help Ecuador solve "technical problems" in improving its oil production capacity.

    Ecuador's national oil company has witnessed a drop in output in recent years due to aging equipment and a lack of investment. Its current production remains at 170,000 barrels per day, one third of the country's total output.

    A few days ago, the company drastically lowered its output growth estimate for 2008 from 8 percent to one percent.

    El-Badri promised to offer help to the national company while inspecting one of the company's oil fields, and said some Ecuadorian technical staff will fly to Vienna soon to receive relevant training.