UPDATE 1-Venezuela seeks new operator for Chalmette refinery

(Updates with quotes, details)

CARACAS, April 9 (Reuters) - Venezuela is seeking to remove Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) as the operator of its joint-venture refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said on Wednesday .

The move escalates the OPEC nation's battle with the biggest publicly traded oil company sparked by Venezuela's takeover of a multibillion-dollar oil project last year.

Venezuela already has stopped selling crude oil to Exxon after the company attempted to freeze $12 billion of foreign assets owned by Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA to secure compensation for the nationalized oil project.

Exxon Mobil spokeswoman Margaret Ross said the company continues to operate the 190,000 barrel per day refinery "in a safe and environmentally sound manner."

"We're not going to comment on the specifics of contracts. We remain open to meaningful discussions with PDVSA," she added.

Exxon Mobil is the operator of the Chalmette refinery and shares ownership of the plant equally with PDVSA.

(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Michael Erman; Editing by David Gregorio)