UPDATE 2-Mexico November oil output falls 6.5 pct

(Recasts, adds November production figures, byline)

By Robert Campbell

MEXICO CITY, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Mexican oil production fell 6.5 percent in November from the same month a year ago to 2.711 million barrels per day, state oil company Pemex said on Monday.

November production also was down from October's 2.757 million bpd -- the sixth consecutive month-on-month decline. Oil output over the first 11 months of the year was down 9.3 percent to 2.806 million bpd, Pemex said.

Oil exports rose in November to 1.501 million bpd from 1.434 million bpd in October as Pemex caught up on shipments delayed by storm damage to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.

Exports over the first 11 months of the year fell 17.3 percent to 1.41 million bpd.

Mexican oil production is falling sharply as output from the Cantarell field has dropped far below Pemex's expectations. A legacy of underinvestment has left Mexico with few options to reverse the trend in the short term.

Output from the Cantarell oil field fell 31 percent to average 1.028 million bpd between January and November 2008, Pemex said. Data for the month of November was not immediately available.

The Mexican government has forecast oil production will average 2.75 million bpd in 2009 although analysts are skeptical that goal can be achieved.

Gasoline imports fell in November to 305,100 bpd from a revised 413,200 bpd in October. Mexico imports more than 40 percent of its gasoline due to a lack of domestic refining capacity.

Pemex is expected to announce the location of a planned new 300,000 bpd refinery early next year. (Editing by David Gregorio)