The country of Brazil is fining Chevron Corp. $28 million US for the damages caused from
the November 7 rupture in a well of the coast of Brazil. The spill has now “slowed to a residual flow” from the 200 to 330 barrels it was releasing when the well first ruptured. Brazilian officials have estimated that over 5,000 barrels of oil have been released, compared to Chevrons estimate of around 2,4000 barrels. Either way, this spill is not even close to the disaster that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, which was releasing on average 3,000 barrels a day.
Since the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, there have been 16 oil spills including the one that Chevron is being fined for. Clearly these oil companies are not learning from past spills as they continue to occur and damage the environment that so many people need in order to make a living. Hopefully these spills will push governments to impose better policies and guidelines in regards to drilling and shipping oil or larger fines because clearly these companies are willing to pay the fines as long as they can continue do what they have done in the past.