Mexico's Pemex posts 1st-qtr net loss

MEXICO CITY, May 2 (Reuters) - Mexican state oil monopoly Pemex posted a first-quarter net loss of 10.1 billion pesos ($915 million) on Wednesday, hurt by decreased export volumes, a lower export price for Mexican crude and higher costs.

The loss compared with a year-ago net profit of 8.1 billion pesos amid soaring oil prices that had lifted heavily taxed Pemex into profit in mid-2005 for the first time in years.

Mexico's crude oil export mix was priced at an average $47.34 per barrel over the first quarter, down from a revised $50.12 in the year-ago period, as sky-high world oil prices suffered a correction.

Pemex's oil exports also dipped to an average of 1.711 million barrels per day from 2.003 million bpd in the year-ago period as declining yields at Mexico's Cantarell field pulled oil output down to 3.158 million bpd from 3.345 million.

Pemex reported first-quarter sales down 6 percent at 235.9 billion pesos.

Mexico is the world's No. 9 exporter of crude oil by volume and a key supplier to the United States.

Pemex is due to hold a conference call with investors on Monday to discuss its quarterly performance. ($1=11.044 pesos at end-March)