UPDATE 1-Ecuador eyes steady oil production after new deals

* Negotiations on new contracts begin in August

* Government wants new deals favoring the state (Adds background on negotiation schedule, new law, paragraphs 3-5)

QUITO, July 30 (Reuters) - Ecuador wants to maintain oil production by private companies at around 200,000 bpd following the signing of new service contracts with the companies, Energy Minister Pastor Wilson said on Friday.

The smallest member of OPEC would also seek to boost production at state company Petroamazonas to 115,000 bpd by the end of this year, Wilson told Reuters in an interview.

Ecuador will start negotiating new contracts favoring the state next month, setting the clock ticking for energy companies in the Latin American nation. [ID:nN29124173]

If the companies do not agree to new terms by Nov. 30, they could have their contracts liquidated under a law enacted this week. Smaller firms will have until the end of the year.

Companies operating in Ecuador include Spain's Repsol (REP.MC), Brazil's Petrobras (PETR4.SA) and Italy's Eni (ENI.MI) and the government wants to replace current profit sharing contracts with service contracts that pay a flat fee. (Reporting by Santiago Silva; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by David Gregorio)