Venezuela denies oil spills on Brazilian coast
Venezuela state-run oil firm Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) stated today (Oct 10) that none of its clients or subsidiaries has reported a spill of oil of Venezuelan origin near the Brazilian coast.
In a note, the company says no evidence exists of oil spills in Venezuelan oil fields that may have reached and caused damaged to the Brazilian Northeast.
“We reiterate that we did not receive any report in which our clients and/or subsidiaries report possible damage or leaks in the vicinity of the Brazilian coast, whose distance from our oil facilities totals approximately 6,650 km through the sea,” the statement reads.
Also today (Oct 10), Venezuela’s Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo ruled out the hypothesis that PDVSA or the Venezuelan state may be held able for the oil on the Brazilian coast.
In Brasília, during a meeting with the National Environment (Conama) held today, Brazil’s Environment Minister Ricardo Salles restated that Brazilian authorities are still to ascertain the source of the oil, even though, he said, technical analyses by Petrobras have indicated a “match” between the waste collected on the Northeastern coast and Venezuelan oil.
“The navy identified all boats moving on the Brazilian coast and is investigated to find out which boat [may have spilled oil into the sea],” the minister pointed out, mentioning one of the three main hypotheses for the origin of the substance: an accidental leak in a vessel yet to be identified, a criminal spill for unknown reasons, or the cleaning of the cleaning of a ship’s hold.
In a message sent to Agência Brasil, the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment explains that the indication the oil spilled may be Venezuelan came after laboratory tests. The ministry, however, said no authority or public official said the Venezuelan government or PDVSA are to blame.
