Chevron and another American company are under attack from the government of Brazil after allowing an oil leak from an offshore well.

 

Seventeen executives from Chevron and oil platform operator Transocean face criminal charges for an oil discharge, about 110,000 gallons, which occurred last November. The equivalent of about 3,000 barrels, it so far pales in comparison to the 4 million-barrel BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Transocean was also held partially responsible for that disaster.

 

The 17 include George Buck, chief operating officer for Chevron’s Brazilian division. Buck and the others have been told by Brazilian prosecutors to turn over their passports and remain in the country.

 

When more oil was spotted in the water on Friday near the original leak, Chevron agreed to suspend production, which had been turning out more than 60,000 barrels of oil a day, even after the November incident.

 

Prosecutors also have filed a civil lawsuit seeking $11.2 billion in damages from Chevron, which has accused the government of overreacting to the size of the spill. Prosecutor Eduardo Santos de Oliveira told Reuters that Chevron executives may face criminal charges for drilling in an unsafe location or an unsafe manner.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

Brazil Bars Chevron Executives From Leaving Over Spill (by Marilia Brocchetto and Maria White, CNN)

Brazil Chevron Oil Leak Charges to Focus on Safety (by Jeb Blount, Reuters)

Brazil Bars Oil Workers From Leaving After Spill (by Simon Romero, New York Times)