HOUSTON, March 11 (Reuters) - Mexico's state-run Pemex

will continue to divert barrels of heavy crude away from the

U.S. Gulf of Mexico as its new Olmeca refinery ramps up output

to reach full capacity in the coming year, the head of the

company's trading arm PMI, Margarita Perez, said on Tuesday.

Perez spoke at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston,

where some oil companies operating in the country, including

Harbour Energy ( PMOIF ), showed optimism about fresh energy

contracts to be offered soon for partnering with Pemex.

The contracts will bring fresh investment to the country,

the Vice President of Harbour, Gustavo Baquero, said at the

conference.