Chevron unaware of Brazilian legal action

SAN RAMON, Calif., March 19 (UPI) -- Chevron said it hasn't been informed that judicial action was pending in Brazil following an oil spill off the country's coast.

U.S. supermajor Chevron announced last week it identified "a small new seep" from the Frade oil field off the coast of Brazil. In November, the Brazilian government announced plans to impose a $27.7 million fine on Chevron for a 2,400-barrel oil spill at the oil field.

Marcelo del Negri, a spokesman for federal prosecutors in Brazil, told Bloomberg News that a federal judge barred 17 executives from Chevron and rig-owner Transocean from leaving the country.

Kurt Glaubitz, a Chevron spokesman, told Bloomberg the company wasn't aware of any "judicial action" in the Brazilian courts. Transocean declined to comment.

Chevron last week closed the Frade field after discovering the leak. The company didn't disclose the size of last week's sheen. The project is about 230 miles off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in 3,800 feet of water.