Other oil nations could make up for Venezuela halt - U.S.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Top world oil producers have assured the United States they could make up for a major supply disruption amid threats from Venezuela of a halt, a U.S. government official told Reuters Tuesday.

"Other major oil producers have assured they can compensate for significant disruptions of any nature," said the official, who declined to be named due to sensitivity of the issue.

"The world's leading oil consumers are also united through the International Energy Agency, which has a range of contingency options at its disposal."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened to stop selling oil the United States over an intensifying legal battle between the OPEC-member nation and Exxon Mobil, which is seeking compensation for the nationalization of multibillion dollar oil project.