RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run

oil firm Petrobras will look into opportunities ​in

neighboring Venezuela, said the ‌head of Exploration and

Production Sylvia Anjos ⁠in an interview with newspaper O ⁠Globo

on Friday.

Venezuela has "great potential", ‌but ‌investing in the country is

risky, said Anjos, ​adding that producing ‌in the oil-polluted

Lake Maracaibo would put Petrobras' environmental ​credentials at

risk.

The head ​of ‌E&P said that she does not believe Venezuela's

production will increase ⁠in the short term, and ⁠that it is not a

threat to Petrobras' business.

Beyond Venezuela, Petrobras is looking for opportunities ⁠in

Africa, ‌said Anjos, citing Ghana, ‌Ivory Coast and Namibia, where

the ⁠company has recently signed a deal to acquire an exploration

license.

In an interview last year, Petrobras Chief Executive Magda

Chambriard told Reuters that it ​looked to turn Africa into its

main exploratory region outside of ​Brazil.