Chevron, Transocean charged over Brazil oil spill
Source: Reuters
Chevron, Transocean charged over Brazil oil spill
By Jeb Blount and Joshua Schneyer
RIO DE JANEIRO/NEW YORK | Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:48pm EDT
(Reuters) - A Brazilian federal prosecutor filed criminal charges against U.S. oil company Chevron and drill-rig operator Transocean for a November oil spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, the prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.
The prosecutor, Eduardo Santos de Oliveira, also filed criminal charges against key executives and employees at Chevron and Transocean, owner of the world's largest oil rig fleet. Among the defendants is George Buck, 46, a U.S. national in charge of Chevron's operations in Brazil, the office said in a statement.
The charges allege that the spill created "a prolonged contamination time bomb" that threatens the entire marine ecosystem.
In addition to Buck, prosecutors leveled criminal charges against five other Americans, five Brazilians, two Frenchmen, two Australians, a Canadian and a Briton.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/21/us-chevron-spill-idUSBRE82K0PL20120321
Earlier thread: Brazil bars Chevron execs from leaving over spill