News: ORG UPDATE 1-Origin Energy posts near 70% rise in APLNG revenue on higher prices

(Adds background on LNG prices, details on realised prices)

Oct 29 (Reuters) - Power and gas retailer Origin Energy (ORG) on Friday reported a 69% rise in first-quarter revenue from its share in the Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) project, benefiting from higher prices.

A surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices to record levels has helped Origin and other energy firms in recent months as demand rises on the back of a pick up in global economic activity.

Origin said higher realised oil prices were, however, partially offset by lower volumes due to planned downstream maintenance at the APLNG project, its joint venture with ConocoPhillips COP.N and Sinopec 600028.SS .

"Planned downstream maintenance at Australia Pacific LNG was completed ahead of what is expected to be a busy northern hemisphere winter," said Chief Executive Officer Frank Calabria.

The company's revenue from the APLNG project rose to A$633.7 million ($477.87 million) in the three months to Sept. 30, from A$373.9 million a year ago.

Origin, which recently agreed to sell a 10% stake in the APLNG project to EIG Partners for A$2.12 billion, said it earned an average of $9.09 per metric million British thermal unit (mmBtu) for LNG in the quarter, up from $5.81 per mmbtu a year earlier.

Output at the Queensland project rose slightly to 65.1 petajoules (PJ), beating a UBS estimate of 60.4 PJ. ($1 = 1.3261 Australian dollars)