US energy giant Chevron drew fire from Brazilian officials on Friday amid reports that an oil spill at an offshore well it operated off Rio de Janeiro state was much bigger than initially thought.
Chevron has claimed the spill was caused by a natural oil seep rather than a leak or other problem at its well, but Rio State Environment Secretary Carlos Minc said the “accident must be bigger than what is being announced.”
“We are going to demand compensation for [the damage done] to birds, fish, dolphins and fishermen,” he told Globo TV. “The company must be punished in an exemplary manner.”
Photo: Reuters
The energy ministry said “220 to 230 barrels” of oil were seeping into the ocean daily.
According to Greenpeace, satellite pictures showed a spill “10 times bigger” than the 330 barrels a day calculated by the National Petroleum Agency, and likely reached closer to 3,700 barrels a day.
Chevron did not immediately return requests for comment.
“There is no doubt that an offense occurred. The spill results from the drilling activity,” said Fabio Scliar, head of the Federal Police department’s environment affairs division.
“What interests me now is -determining the responsibilities,” Scliar said.
Federal police are looking into the case.
Greenpeace activists spilled black ink on the door of Chevron’s Rio office to protest against the US energy giant’s drilling off the Brazilian coast.
“Chevron: your trash, our problem,” read a placard waved by an activist outside the Chevron office in central Rio.
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