Excerpt: "A judge barred 17 Chevron executives from around the world from leaving Brazil in an oil spill investigation as prosecutors readied new charges over a second spill involving the US energy giant, local media reported Saturday."

Greenpeace activists protest against an oil spill in waters off Rio de Janeiro state in front of Chevron headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 11/18/11. (photo: Luiza Castro/AFP/Getty Images)

Judge Bars 17 Chevron Executives From Leaving Brazil

By Agence France-Presse

18 March 12

judge barred 17 Chevron executives from around the world from leaving Brazil in an oil spill investigation as prosecutors readied new charges over a second spill involving the US energy giant, local media reported Saturday.

The Chevron brass - five US nationals, five Brazilians, three Australians, two French nationals, a Canadian and a Briton - can only leave Brazil with court approval, Judge Vlamir Costa of Rio de Janeiro state ruled.

In November, Chevron was blamed for a major spill in the Frade Field area off Rio de Janeiro state, with Brazil's National Petroleum Agency (ANP) calculating that some 3,000 barrels of crude were spilled.

Brazilian authorities as a result suspended all of Chevron's drilling operations and denied it access to huge new offshore fields, which ANP says have reserves that could surpass 100 billion barrels of high-quality recoverable oil.

Thursday, Chevron reported a minor spill in the same area that caused it to stop production in Brazil. The company has not said if the two spills are related but authorities suspect the second was caused by the first.

Chevron said it would conduct a comprehensive technical study and prepare a complementary study to better understand the geological features of the area, working with its partners and seeking necessary approvals from ANP.

So far the US firm has been fined 30 million dollars and kept from new exploration operations.

Prosecutors also have announced legal action against Chevron, its Brazilian unit and oil drilling contractor Transocean, seeking $11 billion over the November spill.

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+154 # NanFan 2012-03-18 11:11

About time a country clamps down on these companies who spoil the planet.

Clearly, Brazil is NOT Ecuador...thank heavens.

Let 'em feel what it's like to be held accountable for their misdeeds, regardless of any "study" they're doing...

N.

+103 # Small Family Farmer 2012-03-18 11:34

Many countries of the "developing" world are taking on issues the countries of the "developed" world apparently have decided to pretend don't exist. Issues like how to change their agricultural practices to deal with an increasingly erratic climate.

Imagine that, the "third" world saving the "first" world. How much fun would that be?

+16 # Texas Aggie 2012-03-18 17:44

Unfortunately right now Brazil is burning down forests to make room for more soybean fields. Their excuse is that we plowed up our midwest for agriculture so why shouldn't they do the same? They don't seem to be able to learn from our mistakes.

Their law of the forest is also under assault and big money is working to castrate it.

+77 # pontifex 2012-03-18 11:45

Somebody spoke about Brazil, in a recent comment on this news, as being a "semi"-Third-Wo rld Country. Well, thanks for the "semi". Brazil is not a Third-World Country any more, not even a "semi" one! Brazil is known, more recently, as being the "B" of the BRICs. Nowadays it the the seventh, if not the sixth biggest economy worldwide. And it has not only a remarkable woman as President, Mrs. Dilma Rousseff, but also a Judiciary that (sometimes) works... As you see...

+104 # CL38 2012-03-18 12:06

Wow. A country with the integrity to go after some of those in the oil industry who are destroying our planet and getting away with it.

Being slapped with relatively small fines (in comparison to the damage done)is hardly justice. The loss to the environment, the loss of animals and wild-life and the loss of livelihood and jobs cannot be made whole by fines.

+65 # DurangoKid 2012-03-18 12:17

I'm sure there's a lot of scurrying going on inside the US embassy right about now. Time to grab the Brazilian judiciary by the tender bits and squeeze real hard. It’s just so annoying when democracy gets in the way of profits!

+67 # Old Man 2012-03-18 12:18

Anyone holding stocks in these oil companies should take another look at shifting to greener investments.
Yes we need oil for a lot of things, but the world need to think of safer ways to protect Mother Earth and all living things.

+60 # Hirmana 2012-03-18 12:37

It's only the tip of the oil spill iceberg, as there are many, many oil spills that we never hear about, and being fined 30 million, to these guys its just a drop in the old hat, kind of like about $3 grand is to you and I! Because money has become far more important then our environment, I think that the only thing that would help stop these people from desecrating the planet everywhere they drill would be fines that are in the "billions" of dollars, that will help to get it through the thick heads of the ones that don't care, plus, they would need to be banned from ever drilling in whatever country they happen to pollute, and that would all be dependant only on "their cleaning up their mess abilities", and Green Peace or some other outside source, could decide if the oil mess was "clean enough, or not" before the companies "who made the mess," are able to leave the country! Unfortunately though, "most times," their governments don't care either, and the oil spills are left for the locals to have to clean up, with NO HELP! So I'm glad to see this Judge cares, at least on the surface, somewhat, but that fine is far from high enough, not for the amount of money these big oil companies have from the pilfering of our planet!

+18 # motamanx 2012-03-18 12:53

How much did BP have to shell out to the people of the Gulf to clean up that spill? Was it enough? Did they ever pay it?

+28 # aitengri 2012-03-18 13:03

Note this very telling quote from the article: "Chevron said it would conduct a comprehensive technical study and prepare a complementary study to better understand the geological features of the area".
The implications of the between the lines significance of this "little" aside in the main story are beyond belief. Now, after their technological goof up, they are going to attempt to "better understand"? Shouldn't that have been the first and topmost priority? Sounds just like BP's back pedaling around their drilling technology in the Gulf of Mexico. I hope Brazil confiscates Chevron's holdings, and takes over their properties. The stockholders can hold commiseration meetings to bewail the deserved destruction of their paper assets.

+14 # Erdajean 2012-03-18 20:46

Oh, boy! Don't you think maybe it's about time to invade Brazil and "rescue the hostages?" How about drones -- could we not knock out that cheeky court -- let them know who's boss in this world? I mean, it's about time for a new war, the old ones have just gotten so dull. This just goes to show there is OIL to wipe out other nations for, and not just in the Middle East.
Blessings on you. Brazil. Lock up Chevron's fat cats -- AND its assets -- not the poor greasy guys they don't give a crap about anyway.

+38 # Peace Anonymous 2012-03-18 13:25

LOL!! The irony of all of this is that the oil industry is highly regulated in Brazil. But the issue is not just the spill it is the attitude. We need our governments to strap on a pair and do their job instead of selling out to the Chevrons of the world. If you are interested look for information regarding Chevron's act in Ecuador. Enough is enough.

+49 # Peace Anonymous 2012-03-18 13:28

Remember President Jaimie Roldos tried to take on big oil in Ecuador and his plane mysteriously blew up. Any guesses as to which government agency was behind that??

+34 # JayMagoo 2012-03-18 13:29

Brave stand, but it won't last. Sooner or later the oil companies or the US Government will bully, pay off, overthrow, or otherwise beat this Brazilian judge into submission. I have no doubt he will either get fabulously rich, or disappear, of have a change of heart. Those petroleum guys are amoral and ruthless.

+32 # angelfish 2012-03-18 14:34

In THIS Country they'd have gotten a slap on the wrist and been given the opportunity to continue gouging citizens at the Pump, ad lib!

+29 # nickynono 2012-03-18 14:43

I have often wondered about this 'fact' or 'factoid': if the US allows tax breaks and subsidies to Chevron (and other US oil companies), are we helping to pay the dividends to investors... and as far as that goes... helping to pay that fine?

+16 # angelfish 2012-03-18 15:44

HilQuoting nickynono:

I have often wondered about this 'fact' or 'factoid': if the US allows tax breaks and subsidies to Chevron (and other US oil companies), are we helping to pay the dividends to investors... and as far as that goes... helping to pay that fine?

Hilarious, isn't it? Sad to say we're being "Screwed", not only by the Oil Companies, but by our Government who ALLOWS us to be assaulted in this way WITHOUT us deriving ANY pleasure what-so-ever! No WONDER they're laughing all the way to the Bank!

+34 # BLBreck 2012-03-18 14:58

Now if they would just house these guys right next to their spill so they can experience the effects first hand.

+17 # dick 2012-03-18 16:48

Maybe Brasil can loan us one of their leftist "former Commies" to come here & show us how capitalism ought to work. Let's send Obama there to be an intern until he catches on to how to deal with criminals, besides coddling, protecting, enabling, appeasing them. Fines mean NOTHING to them. PRISON is the ONLY influence they understand. I wish Obama supporters would tell their guy to get tough or get out of the way. He's so worried about offending someone that it's offensive. Jail banksters now!

+3 # charsjcca 2012-03-18 17:20

If you take them to court they will be defended by the "K" Street Gang and I anticipate how that will end.

+11 # charsjcca 2012-03-18 17:18

Alas, TRANSOCEAN was a partner in the ill-fated Gulf of Mexico incident in 2010. An unending saga when using petroleum is the driving force of our society. Stop the using!!!

+5 # Billy Bob 2012-03-18 17:40

I assume conservatives are celebrating this turn of events as a call for "taking responsibility" .

+13 # Dunn 2012-03-18 18:33

You go Brazil!!! You proudly take care of your people and your environment! Third World country,my ass. We're the ones looking like a third world country. These Oil companys have committed acts of criminal negligence against your country and you be proud to stand up for yourselves! Not like here in the US where obscene Corporate crimes get swept under the rug even when horrible environmental destruction and human death is perpetrated upon US citizens... Brazil, you go get 'em!!

+10 # T4D 2012-03-18 19:48

It my sometimes less than perfect understanding that Brazil adopted the deep well drilling regulations from what was required for North Sea drilling by Norway and England. The US regulations (which we so proudly wave) are a mockery even before they are ill enforced.

+16 # MainStreetMentor 2012-03-18 20:09

I salute the Brazilian Courts on their stance on this issue. But ... fines mean nothing to these congolmerates - and the envirnomental damage is done. Another approach might be to deny them drilling rights for 10 years for each spill - and - NEVER off-shore where true "clean-up" is truly impossible. What's a totally polluted ocean worth, anyway - how can anyone set a high enough fine for that?

+8 # bugbuster 2012-03-19 05:26

Too bad for Chevron nobody told them that Brazil is now an economic tiger who doesn't have to put up with their bs any more.

Fines are fine, but extending the hospitality of the Brazilian people to Chevron people for an extended period of time is more likely to get their attention.

+13 # phrixus 2012-03-19 05:30

"So far the US firm has been fined 30 million dollars..." Hilarious. The CEO and board of directors probably spend more yearly on lunch. Lawsuits and fines are INEFFECTIVE against these large, corrupt corporations. They BUDGET for fines. Only criminal prosecutions and prison time will deter them. Until that happens its business as usual.

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