15 Sep 2005

At Shushufindi-21 Site, Absence of "Generalized Environmental Pollution" in Laboratory Tests Exposes Baseless Nature of Plaintiffs' Allegations

Chevron lawyers present video demonstrating the quality of the environmental remediation effort conducted by Texpet

Nueva Loja, September 15, 2005 - The twenty-fourth Judicial Inspection was conducted today at Shushufindi-21, where an enormous African Palm plantation is currently found. Chevron Corporation submitted to the Superior Court in Nueva Loja official documents from PETROECUADOR proving the state-owned company's responsibility for an oil spill that occurred immediately after Texaco Petroleum Company (Texpet) conducted its remediation at the site in 1996. For Chevron Corporation, this constitutes further proof of Petroecuador's responsibility for the current condition of the fields in the former Petroecuador-Texpet Consortium, as well as the negligent manner in which the company has been operating its facilities.

Other Highlights:

  • Chevron Corporation presented a video of the remediation effort conducted by Texpet at this area in 1996. As a result, the President of the Superior Court of Nueva Loja was able to carefully observe the different phases of Texpet's remediation. The video exposed, yet again, the extent of plaintiffs' false accusations as they had alleged that no remediation whatsoever was conducted at this site.
  • During the Inspection, counsel for Chevron discredited accusations made by the plaintiffs who have yet to prove any alleged health impacts due to former Consortium activities. Analysis of water samples taken from the first 15 inspections shows that drinking water is not contaminated with harmful levels of oil; however, the water is contaminated by waste-related bacteria unrelated to oil production which may have significant negative health impacts.
  • Counsel for Chevron added that contrary to plaintiffs' assertions, laboratory results demonstrated that metals levels in the areas remediated by Texpet, including those outside of Texpet's agreed upon scope of work, complied with international standards for pit closures and as a result are far below levels that could cause risk to human, environmental or animal health.
  • Finally, Chevron lawyer delivered to the Court official documents from PETROECUADOR and its Environmental Control agencies, which point to an oil spill at the site that occurred under Petroecuador's sole responsibility on September 21, 1996, immediately after Texpet ended its remediation activities in the area. For Chevron, this underscores the fact that the company is not responsible for current environmental conditions at the site, or for any other traces of hydrocarbon pollution that may be found there.

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