Oil Spill Furthers Environmental Destruction in Brazil

This Brazilian oil platform produces around 180 thousand barrels of oil and 6 million cubic meters of gas a day at full operating capacity. (Wikipedia)

While the Amazon forest fires continue to rage, a “mysterious” oil spill began contaminating the waters of major Brazilian cities on Thursday, October 10. The oil spill has contaminated more than 130 beaches in nine different Brazilian states. However, the source of the spill is unknown.

Brazil’s official environmental agency detected about 105 tonnes crude oil spill affecting the beaches in major cities. Brazilian authorities launched an investigation into the disaster, concluding that the oil spill was caused either by an unfortunate shipwreck or by a simple case of illegal oil dumping. Brazilian President Bolsonaro suggested that the spill could indeed be “criminal.” 

The authorities concluded that the oil most likely originated from Venezuela, according to Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned oil company. Nevertheless, the investigation remains inconclusive.Venezuelan officials have denied these allegations, further straining the already deteriorating relationship between both countries.

The spill has severely disrupted both marine life and the livelihoods of the people living and working on the coast, raising hopes that the efforts to clean the waters of the oil contamination will continue.