Blame for Frade laid at Chevron's door by ANP

Report: Magda Chambriard, Brazil’s National Oil Agency president, shows the final report released this week on the November 2011 Chevron platform oil spill at the Frade field

AFP/SCANPIX

By GARETH CHETWYND Rio de Janeiro

 26 July 2012 22:59 GMT

BRAZIL’S regulatory agency has held Chevron responsible for the oil spill that occurred on the Frade field in November 2011, pointing to errors in pressure management during a drilling operation, resulting in a powerful kick from an underground blowout, causing fracturing and heavy seeps from the seabed.

The well was closed within three days, stemming the initial leaks. However, further seeps emerged in March 2012, which Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP) said were probably due to subsidence and fracturing.

The ANP said seeps are continuing in the damaged area, and estimated that about 3700 barrels of crude have so far been released into the Campos basin.

The report said the accident could have been avoided “if Chevron had carried out its operations in full compliance with the regulations... and with industry-wide good practices and the company’s own manual for procedures”.

The…

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