Houston: The Rockefeller Family Fund has said that it will divest from fossil fuels as quickly as possible and "eliminate holdings" of Exxon Mobil Corp, saying the oil company associated with the family fortune has misled the public about climate change risks.

Though only a sliver of the endowment's modest $US130 million ($171 million) in assets is invested in fossil fuels, the move is notable because a century ago John D. Rockefeller snr made a fortune running Standard Oil, a precursor to Exxon Mobil. The charity said it would also divest from coal and Canadian oil sands.

Flames shoot from a tower at Exxon Mobil Corp's Torrance Refinery in California earlier this month. Credit:Bloomberg

Given the threat posed to the survival of human and natural ecosystems, "there is no sane rationale for companies to continue to explore for new sources of hydrocarbons", the Rockefeller Family Fund said.

In a letter posted on its website, the fund said Exxon's conduct on climate issues appears to be "morally reprehensible".