Petrobras CEO says Exxon expressed 'strong interest' in pre-salt oil

EXXONMOBIL-RATINGS-S-P

U.S. oil company Exxon Mobil Corp expressed to Brazil's state-controlled firm Petrobras "strong interest" in the exploration of deep-water pre-salt oil fields off the Brazilian coast, Petrobras Chief Executive Officer Pedro Parente said on Tuesday.

"Considering movements towards a strategic partnership, we have nothing concrete with Exxon, but they have certainly expressed strong interest in the Brazilian pre-salt exploration," Parente told reporters.

(Reporting by La��s Martins; Writing by Marcelo Teixeira)