Brazil sues Chevron for $11 billion
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (BDCi) – A Brazilian federal prosecutor on Wednesday asked a federal judge to shut down all Chevron and Transocean operations in Brazil in a lawsuit that seeks 11 billion in damages from the companies.
This is the latest legal broadside to the companies since oil leaked form a well they operate in early November.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, the prosecutor’s office in Campos, a city in Rio d Janeiro state, said Chevron and Transocean “showed a lack of planning and environmental management,” by allowing the leak, which authorities say allowed at least 2,400 barrels to flow in the ocean.
Chevron said Wednesday it hadn’t received any formal notice of the lawsuit. It said it responded “responsibly” to the spill, and that the flow of oil was stopped within four days. Chevron said there’s less than a single barrel of oil on ocean surface, and that there hasn’t been any coastal or wildlife impact.
By: Natania Levine Courtesy: wallstreet journal Photo: Google Images 15 December 2011
12:37 p.m P.S.T