* To seek strategic alternatives for international assets

* Expects $1.2 billion fourth-quarter loss

* Incurred $1.5 billion in charge as it wrote down value of natural gas assets

(Adds details)

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Newfield Exploration Co will seek strategic alternatives for its international assets to focus on its U.S. assets, and the oil and gas producer said it expects to post a big fourth-quarter loss as it wrote down the value of natural gas assets.

Newfield on Wednesday said it posted a $1.5 billion writedown for the quarter ended Dec. 31 primarily due to low natural gas prices and the sale of some assets.

The Woodlands, Texas-based Newfield expects to report a net loss of about $1.2 billion or $8.80 per share for the December quarter.

Newfield's international assets - primarily in Malaysia and China - contributed nearly 30 percent to the total revenue for 2011. Those segments contributed 40 percent for the quarter ended Sept. 30.

'This action reflects the confidence we have in our domestic portfolio and the substantial opportunities we see across our liquids-rich domestic resource areas,' Chief Executive Lee Boothby said in a statement.

Newfield has engaged Goldman Sachs and Co to advise it to explore strategic opportunities for those assets.

Separately, the company said it plans to invest $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion in capital budget for this year.

Production for the same period is expected to range from 44 to 47 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) compared to 47 million BOE it produced last year.

(Reporting by Thyagaraju Adinarayan; Editing by Phil Berlowitz, Bernard Orr) Keywords: NEWFIELD INTERNATIONALASSETS/

(thyagaraju.adinarayan@thomsonreuters.com)(within U.S. +1 646 223 8780)(+918041355800 x 6522)(Reuters Messaging: thyagaraju.adinarayan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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