Reuters: Regulatory News: UPDATE 1-Chevron, Transocean face 2nd $11 bln Brazil lawsuit

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UPDATE 1-Chevron, Transocean face 2nd $11 bln Brazil lawsuit Apr 3rd 2012, 21:17 Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:17pm EDT * Prosecutor says plans to probe government regulators * Suit seeks to block move of profits, equipment from Brazil * Latest lawsuit over March 4 oil leak in Frade field RIO DE JANEIRO, April 3 (Reuters) - A Brazilian federal prosecutor o n Tuesday launched his second 20-billion-real ($10.9-billion) lawsuit against U.S. oil company Chevron and drilling firm Transocean in less than five months. The new lawsuit is related to an oil leak discovered in Chevron's offshore Frade field northeast of Rio de Janeiro on March 4, the Federal Public Prosecutor's office said in an emailed statement. In November, the same prosecutor, Eduardo Santos de Oliveira, launched a 20-billion-real lawsuit over an estimated 3,000-barrel spill in the same area earlier that month. The new suit -- filed in federal court in Campos, north of Rio de Janeiro -- also seeks to prevent Chevron and Transocean from operating in Brazil, transferring Brazilian profits overseas, obtaining government-backed finance and moving equipment from the country, the statement said. The prosecutor plans to investigate Brazilian national oil regulator ANP and environmental protection agency Ibama over their handling of the November spill and March leak. Chevron and its partners in Frade, Brazil's state-led Petrobras and a Japanese group led by Inpex and Sojitz, asked for and received permission to end operations temporarily in that field after the March leak. Chevron said on March 21 that tests showed the March leak was not from any reservoir it had produced in the field. Chevron and Transocean have described as excessive the previous civil suit and a criminal case against them and 17 employees over the November spill. An ANP official told a Brazilian Senate committee earlier this month that the November spill caused no discernable environmental damage. No oil reached shore and no employees were injured. The March leak was far smaller and may be the result of a natural oil seep, Chevron has said. Both companies have said they have done nothing wrong and that they are innocent of any crimes. Chevron and Transocean officials were not immediately available for comment on the latest lawsuit. Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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