RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – OCTOBER 31, 2002
Brazil’s environmental protection agency, Ibama, fined state-oil giant Petrobras about 33 million reals (US$8.9 million) for running oil platforms without a license, local media said.
On Oct. 13, a Petrobras shiplike oil platform with 3.17 million gallons (12 million liters) of oil listed and almost sank after an electrical failure.
Ibama said after the incident that most of the company’s 37 platforms operating in the oil-rich Campos basin off Rio de Janeiro’s coast lack environmental licenses.
Wednesday’s fine breaks down into various fines, including for lack of environmental licenses at a some of the oil rigs, for lack of technical permits at others, and for lack of contingency plans at most platforms, O Globo Web site said.
Neither Ibama nor Petrobras officials were available for immediate comment.
Last year, Petrobras’ flagship oil rig sank after a series of explosions that killed 11 workers. About 92,000 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled into the sea.
