ALGIERS - Algeria will struggle to keep gas exports at 50 billion cubic feet per year in the medium term unless it curbs rising domestic gas consumption, a government document and top energy official said.

Domestic consumption is expected to rise by 4.7 percent per year to 67 billion cubic feet by 2028, according to a document from the Algerian Electricity and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG).

In 2018, domestic consumption was 45.1 billion, it said.

"We can't continue like this. The rise in domestic consumption is putting in danger our capacity to fill our commitment towards our foreign clients, said Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, CEO of state energy firm Sonatrach.

Observers said the publication of the documents is part of efforts by officials to alert the public that Algeria needs to use its shale gas reserves, estimated to be the world's third largest.

The OPEC oil producer has been talking to foreign oil majors regarding exploration of shale gas in southern Algeria.

Sonatrach wants to speed up exploration this year.

But it needs to ensure that international companies do not face protests from local communities like those which forced Sonatrach to temporarily halt shale exploration testing near the In Salah gas field in 2015.

The North African country subsidises gas and electricity as part of its welfare system.

Officials have been talking about overhauling such subsidies, which include petrol prices, but has postponed any moves in 2019 when the country will hold presidential elections.

(Reporting by Lamine Chikhi; editing by Ulf Laessing and Jason Neely) ((Ulf.Laessing@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: follow me on twitter @ulflaessing))