Chevron and the oil spill
The national and the international vision
By Daniela Bernardino and Évelyn Souza
December, 6, 2011
December, 6, 2011
According to Brazilian and American articles the oil spill caused by the U.S. Company Chevron is much bigger than the firm had announced before.
RIO DE JANEIRO- In November , the Brazilian authorities detected an oil spot in the ocean, caused by an oil leak of Chevron Company, which is an American firm that explores, produces and transports oil and natural gas to more than one hundred countries, in Frade field, located in the country’s southwestern coast. At first, the company announced that the spill involved 400 to 650 barrels of oil. However, according to Agência do Brasil and the American newspaper New York Times, the leak is much bigger then the company has announced before: “The spot is very large and is still bubbling out the oil-cracking” said the Environment State Secretary Carlos Minc, when he visited the place.
According to The New York Times, Chevron is under intense scrutiny and the officials can be sued by the Brazilian government if they are found guilty of violating environmental contamination laws. Moreover, their situation can be worse because of their omitting about the size of the stain. However, the Brazilian article about the oil spill published in Agência do Brasil says nothing about the possible punishments that the company may suffer.
Both news reports say that this accident will serve as a warning to Brazil when it explores the “pre-salt” discoveries. This offshore discovery, according to the two articles will emerge Brazil, in 2020, as the world’s fourth-largest oil producer after Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
While The New York Times says that Chevron had achieved “a substantial reduction” (according to The National Petroleum Agency), the Agência Brasil just affirms the big size of the accident. The other fail was the geological study of the bottom, which did not detect a hole.
According to Agência Brasil, until now, Chevron still does not know how much oil there is exactly in the Frade field. On the other hand, The New York Times says Chevron’s estimates are, perhaps, around 10 times smaller than that seems to be, which is extended 918 square miles, approximately, according to John Amos, the president of an American environmental preservation group.
Source:
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/19/business/energy-environment/brazil-officials-criticize-chevron-over-oil-spill.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=brazil
Agencia Brasil: http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/noticia/2011-11-18/minc-acusa-chevron-de-ter-subestimado-volume-do-vazamento-de-petroleo
According to The New York Times, Chevron is under intense scrutiny and the officials can be sued by the Brazilian government if they are found guilty of violating environmental contamination laws. Moreover, their situation can be worse because of their omitting about the size of the stain. However, the Brazilian article about the oil spill published in Agência do Brasil says nothing about the possible punishments that the company may suffer.
Both news reports say that this accident will serve as a warning to Brazil when it explores the “pre-salt” discoveries. This offshore discovery, according to the two articles will emerge Brazil, in 2020, as the world’s fourth-largest oil producer after Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
While The New York Times says that Chevron had achieved “a substantial reduction” (according to The National Petroleum Agency), the Agência Brasil just affirms the big size of the accident. The other fail was the geological study of the bottom, which did not detect a hole.
According to Agência Brasil, until now, Chevron still does not know how much oil there is exactly in the Frade field. On the other hand, The New York Times says Chevron’s estimates are, perhaps, around 10 times smaller than that seems to be, which is extended 918 square miles, approximately, according to John Amos, the president of an American environmental preservation group.
Source:
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/19/business/energy-environment/brazil-officials-criticize-chevron-over-oil-spill.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=brazil
Agencia Brasil: http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/noticia/2011-11-18/minc-acusa-chevron-de-ter-subestimado-volume-do-vazamento-de-petroleo