Indonesia's 2013 gas output up 2 pct on Total, domestic facilities

JAKARTA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Indonesia's 2013 gas production has risen 2.2 percent to 8,100 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) on average, from 7,920 mmscfd last year, boosted by an output hike by the country's top producer, France's Total SA (Paris: FR0000120271 - news) , state oil and gas regulator SKKMigas said.

Indonesia wants to tap its abundant gas supply and move away from oil as it grapples with record subsidy bills and a trade deficit caused by costly fuel imports.

Gas production in Indonesia, the world's third biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), declined last year following changes to shipments from BP (LSE: BP.L - news) 's Tangguh project in Papua and a lack of domestic facilities to absorb output, Zudaldi Rafdi, spokesman of SKKMigas, told Reuters on Wednesday.

This year's daily average had increased because of timely production by all producers, Zudaldi said, "and in the third and forth quarters Total (NYSE: TOT - news) 's gas production increased".

Southeast Asia's largest economy had an earlier production target of 7,600 mmscfd this year.

Several domestic gas facilities came onstream this year, spurring gas consumption and production at home, Zudaldi said.

These facilities include state electricity utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) 's West Java Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) in Jakarta Bay and the Arun facility in Aceh, which both began receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG). Indonesia's exports of LNG exports will fall by 33 cargoes this year.

The output figures include piped gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Despite the closure of five wells due to a gas leak, Total's output from its Mahakam Block, Indonesia's main gas producing region, was at 1,740 mmscfd this week, well above a target of 1,577 mmscfd.