SAO PAULO: The Brazilian federal prosecutor behind criminal and civil cases against Chevron and drilling-rig operator Transocean for an offshore drilling accident has lost control of the cases.
A judge moved a criminal case against Chevron and Transocean to a court in Rio de Janeiro, a court document said on Wednesday, removing crusading prosecutor Ed uardo Santos de Oliveira fr om the proceeding.
The criminal case was the last of the three high-profile cases that Santos de Oliveira had started -- including two 20 billion reais ($11 billion) lawsuits against the companies -- to be moved to Rio.
The decision, by Judge Elder Fernandes Luciano, affects 17 employees of the companies, some of whom faced prison terms of up to 31 years. The criminal and civil cases arose from a rupture and 3,000-barrel spill in November at a well Transocean was drilling in the Frade field, which Chevron operates.
"Chevron is pleased with the court decision," Chevron Corp's head of media relations, Kurt Glaubitz, said in a statement.
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