UPDATE 2-Petrobras strikes natural gas in Peru - Garcia

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LIMA, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Brazil's Petrobras has found natural gas in Peru's Amazon jungle and the discovery of about 1 trillion cubic feet could turn out to be much larger, Peruvian President Alan Garcia said on Thursday.

Petrobras (PETR4.SA) (PBR.N), which has expanded at home and abroad in recent years by emphasizing exploration, made the find in Peru's lot 58.

The new discovery might calm a controversy that has nagged Garcia. His critics say plans to export liquefied natural gas might crimp domestic supplies in the future.

"We can confirm that a large quantity of gas has been discovered," Garcia said on RPP radio. "They are talking about 1 trillion and a half cubic feet in the first well which some experts at Perupetro say could reach more than 5 tcf."

Perupetro is Peru's agency that sells oil and gas concessions.

Garcia said a final confirmation on the find is expected later this week.

Petrobras officials were not immediately available to comment.

Peru, which is trying to become a net energy exporter, is encouraging companies to invest in the resource-rich Amazon jungle -- thought to have vast and largely untapped reserves of oil and natural gas.

As a whole, two competing estimates say Peru has between 8.79 tcf and 14.1 tcf in proven natural gas reserves. (Reporting by Teresa Cespedes; Writing by Dana Ford; Editing by Christian Wiessner)