MEXICO CITY, June 11 (Reuters) -

Mexico's proven crude oil reserves have fallen though proven

natural gas reserves increased, resulting in an increased total

for hydrocarbon reserves, the country's regulator said on

Tuesday in its annual update for 2024.

Data from the National Hydrocarbons Commission, or CNH,

showed proven crude oil reserves fell to 5.978 billion barrels

in 2024 from 6.155 billion barrels in 2023.

Meanwhile, proven natural gas reserves rose to 12.297

trillion cubic feet, up from 11.029 trillion cubic feet.

Total proven hydrocarbon reserves, which include both

crude oil and natural gas, rose to 8.383 billion barrels of

crude oil equivalent from 8.162 billion barrels, the data

showed.

The data had been due in March but was delayed for

unspecified reasons.

"Mexico is a country of mature fields," said Alan Barkley,

director for reserves at the regulator.

The data showed 23 companies have 486 fields with

reserves, but 220 of these are either only maintaining

production or already declining.

Officials at the regulator said during the presentation

that the hydrocarbon sector would need substantial investment to

offset declining reserves at large fields as newer finds have

failed to compensate.

Proven reserves, or P1, are a country's best estimate of

resources that can be recovered from deposits with a reasonable

level of certainty using current technology.