MOSCOW, June 24 (Reuters) - Saudi state oil company Saudi Aramco wants to raise its share in Luksar, a joint venture with Russia's Lukoil , to 50 percent, the chief executive of the Russian company said on Wednesday.

"They are interested in taking their share to 50 percent," Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil CEO, told reporters.

Lukoil has a majority stake in Luksar but industry sources said in April the company was likely to pull out from Saudi Arabia as the economics of its search for gas have been crushed by the collapse in the oil price.

(Reporting by Olesya Astakhova; Writing by Maria Kiselyova, editing by Elizabeth Piper) ((maria.kiselyova@thomsonreuters.com; +7 495 775 1242; Reuters Messaging: maria.kiselyova.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: LUKOIL SAUDI/GAS