Venezuela wants OPEC to study Exxon row-APS

ALGIERS, March 1 (Reuters) - Venezuela wants next week's OPEC meeting to discuss its escalating legal battle with Exxon Mobil (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research), a Venezuelan official was reported by Algeria's official APS news agency as saying on Saturday.

The official, Alvaro Silva Calderon, said after meeting OPEC President and Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Chakib Khelil that the question should be raised at the next meeting of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

OPEC meets in Vienna on March 5 under pressure from consumer nations to hike output to help tame prices.

Venezuela cut commercial ties to Exxon after it won court orders freezing up to $12 billion in Venezuela's assets.

Exxon has filed two arbitration suits seeking at least $5 billion in compensation for Venezuela's takeover of the Cerro Negro heavy crude project as part of leftist President Hugo Chavez's nationalization crusade meant to advance his self-styled socialist revolution. (Reporting by William Maclean, editing by Peter Blackburn)