Indonesian state-owned coal company PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA.JK) may move to acquire BHP Billiton PLC's (BHP.LN) local assets after the Anglo-Australian company has said it may pull out of Indonesia, Sukrisno, Bukit Asam's president director, told reporters Friday.

"We are very interested in acquiring several mining concessions owned by BHP Billiton," Sukrisno said, adding any such deal could come before the end of this year.

BHP Billiton earlier this year cancelled a planned $100 million investment in the Haju trial mine, one of seven mines at its Maruwai coal project in the Indonesian provinces of Central and East Kalimantan.

BHP Billiton has said it is considering withdrawing from Indonesia completely, according to local media reports.

State-owned nickel miner PT Aneka Tambang (ANTM.JK) and coal companies PT Medco Energi International (MEDC.JK), PT Adaro Energy (ADRO.JK) and PT Bumi Resources (BUMI.JK) have said they are interested in BHP Billiton's nickel and coal assets in Indonesia, according to the reports.

Aside from Maruwai, BHP Billiton last year also pulled out of the $4.5 billion Buli nickel laterite project in North Molucca.

-By Linda Silaen, Dow Jones Newswires; 62 21 3983 1277; Reuben.Carder@dowjones.com