*

President Sheinbaum plans to consolidate three taxes on

Pemex

*

'We have to fix Pemex,' Sheinbaum says

*

Program seeks to cut Pemex inefficiencies and debt,

diversify

and boost energy resources

*

Pemex debt could be refinanced in the future

(Updates with quote from Sheinbaum in paragraph 3, details on

targets and context in paragraphs 9-12)

By Ana Isabel Martinez and Sarah Morland

MEXICO CITY, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Mexico announced on

Wednesday a plan to simplify its fiscal regime for state

producer Pemex, in an effort to boost the oil producer whose

heavy debts have weighed on state coffers.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in the regular

morning press conference that her administration would

consolidate the number of taxes Pemex pays the government,

merging three existing duties into one.

The president said the move was aimed at "transparency"

and giving the oil company, formally known as Petroleos

Mexicanos, more room for investment.

The new duty will be set at a general rate of 30%, and a

lower 11.63% for non-associated gas, gas that does not come to

the surface as a byproduct of oil production but is considered

the principal resource, in 2025.

"We have to fix Pemex," Sheinbaum said, adding that the

program would also seek to cut inefficiencies, diversify its

energy sources, and pay down debt while protecting its output

levels.

During the presentation, state officials laid out plans for

Pemex to increase estimated oil reserves, hit a target 5 billion

cubic feet of natural gas per day during Sheinbaum's six-year

term, maintain its hydrocarbon production at 1.8 million barrels

per day, and increase storage capacity for refined products like

gasoline and diesel.

New Pemex chief Victor Rodriguez said the company would push

an austerity drive that seeks to slash some 50 billion pesos

($2.44 billion) in costs.

He added Pemex would continue to work to pay down its debts

and that he did not expect the company would have to resort to

international debt markets to shore up its financing.

Despite government efforts to reduce debt, Pemex carries

financial debt of nearly $100 billion and service provider debt

of about $20 billion.

Credit agencies have warned that government budget

allocations for Pemex are an important factor they look at when

assessing the country's credit rating.

Sheinbaum also responded to questions on a

Bloomberg report on Tuesday

that said the government would allocate $6 billion to Pemex

in its 2025 draft budget, saying the figure was not correct and

was still being evaluated.

The president, who said the cuts would target in part

administrative inefficiencies such as the large number of

subsidiaries, did not rule out refinancing Pemex debt in the

future.

As with her mentor and former president, Andres Manuel

Lopez Obrador, Sheinbaum has underlined the importance of state

energy companies in shoring up the country's energy sovereignty.

She has also spoken of the need to transition to more renewable

sources.

($1 = 20.5337 Mexican pesos)