US oil major Exxon Mobil is still willing to negotiate with President Hugo Chávez's government to reach a friendly agreement in connection with the Venezuelan state's takeover of the firm's stake in heavy crude oil projects, after the corporation won court orders to freeze up to USD 12 billion in assets belonging to state-run oil giant Pdvsa, a senior official with Exxon Mobil said on Monday.

However, the world's largest oil company stressed it was ready to fight to make its interests prevail, if necessary.

"We have told the Venezuelan government that we are still ready to negotiate, but if the case comes we are going to protect our rights," Exxon's Europe, Caspian Sea and Russia Production Division head Robert Olsen told Reuters.

Venezuela has suggested it could file a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil for exporting Venezuelan crude oil without paying taxes, a few days after it was disclosed that Exxon won international court orders to freeze up to USD 12 billion in Pdvsa's assets and accounts to secure compensation for a heavy crude oil project Exxon owned in Venezuela and which was nationalized in 2007.