UPDATE 1-Oil Search says sells Middle East, Africa assets

(Adds details, changes dateline)

PERTH, April 15 (Reuters) - Australian-listed oil and gas firm Oil Search Ltd (OSH.AX) said on Tuesday it will sell its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) unit to Kuwait Energy CO for $200 million plus working capital to help fund a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

The MENA assets include three fields in Eygpt and five fields in Yemen. The sale will free up funds for its Papua New Guinea LNG project, Oil Search said in a statement.

"It will also enable the company to refocus its organic growth programme on areas of greater materiality going forward," Oil Search Managing Director Peter Botten said in a statement.

The effective date of the transaction is back-dated to Feb. 28 and the completion, subject to government and joint venture partner approvals, is expected in mid-2008, Oil Search said.

Oil Search, a partner in an Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) proposed LNG project in Papua New Guinea, said in March the project was estimated to cost $10-$11 billion.

Oil Search had said that it expects to put in up to $1.3 billion in equity and $2.9 billion in debt to help fund the development of the project.

The proposed LNG facility would have a capacity of 6.3 million tonnes a year and is to have first delivery by 2014.

(Reporting by Fayen Wong)