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| Chevron says 17 ships have been working to clear up the oil sheen |
Brazilianpolice are investigating an oil spill in an offshore field operated by the UScompany Chevron.
Ships areworking to disperse the slick 120km (75 miles) off the coast of Rio de Janeirostate, and Chevron says it has plugged the oil well.
Brazil'sEnergy Minister Edison Lobao has said the company will be "severelypunished" if it is found to have failed in its environmentalresponsibilities.
In recentyears Brazil has discovered huge oil reserves in the Atlantic.
The oil isleaking from a well in the Frade oil project, 370km (230 miles) off theBrazilian coast.
Chevroninitially estimated that 400-650 barrels of oil had formed a sheen on the waterafter seeping from the seabed near the well.
But theinternational environmental group Skytruth said satellite images suggested thespill was many times bigger.
Brazilianenergy minister Edison Lobao said the spill "was not as serious as hadbeen announced" and was not moving towards the Brazilian coast.
But he saidBrazil's oil agency ANP was monitoring the situation closely and would applythe full force of the law.
"IfChevron is not fulfilling its responsibilities, it will be more severelypunished," he said.
ANP saidunderwater images showed Chevron's effort to permanently seal the well withcement appeared to have been successful, although there appeared to be aresidual flow of oil from the seabed.
"Theslick is continuing to move away from the coast and dispersing, as isdesired," it added.
'Bad faith'
Policeenvironment experts have been sent on navy helicopters to assess the scale ofthe spill.
Green Partymembers of the Brazilian parliament have called for a debate on the matter.
MP SarneyFilho said Chevron appeared to have underplayed the scale of the accident.
"Whathas alarmed us is the lack of transparency on the part of the company and theattempt to minimise the size of the disaster," he told the official newsagency Agencia Brasil.
"Thisis a clear demonstration of bad faith," he added.
Chevronsaid on Thursday the flow of oil from the ocean floor has been reduced to"infrequent droplets" and the remaining oil sheen on the surface wasestimated at less than 65 barrels.
"Chevroncontinues to fully inform and work with Brazilian government agencies andindustry partners on all aspects of this matter," the company said in astatement.
In recentyears Brazil has discovered billions of barrels of oil in deep water that couldmake it one of the world's top five producers.
So farthere has been little public debate about the environmental dangers of offshoredrilling.
Politicaldiscussion has instead focused on how future oil revenues should be dividedbetween different states.
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