UPDATE 2-Venezuela says advancing with Total on crude project

(Updates with further comment, paragraph 3)

PORLAMAR, Venezuela, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Venezuela is advancing with France's Total (TOTF.PA) as a partner in the Junin 10 oil field, Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said on Friday.

A top official for Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA said this week it was looking at choosing between Total or Norway's Statoil (STL.OL), or possibly partnering with both, to develop the Junin 10 extra-heavy oil block in the Orinoco oil basin.

"We have strongly moved forward with Total," Ramirez told reporters. "Statoil is there, making its calculations. We can't wait for companies to do calculations. We're going ahead, we're going to develop these reserves with Total."

The Junin 10 project is expected to produce up to 200,000 to 300,000 barrel-per-day with an investment of $25 billion over its 25 year estimated life.

It is part of a wider development plan to increase output by 3.05 million bpd from the Orinoco region within a decade.

Ramirez, speaking to reporters ahead of the start of a two-day summit of Latin American and African leaders on Margarita Island, Venezuela, also said he expects oil prices to hover around $70 a barrel by year's end. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Kevin Gray; Editing by David Gregorio)