A judge in Brazil denied an injunction to stop Chevron and Transocean from operating after two offshore oil leaks, a federal court said last Wednesday. Prosecutor Eduardo Santos de Oliveira sought the injunction against the companies as part of an $11 billion lawsuit for damage at the Frade field last month, in the climate of increasing scrutiny of oil production. However, judge Guilherme Diefenthaeler ruled that the injunction would interfere with the authority of ANP, Brazil's oil regulator, to manage the oil industry. Chevron said that it "acted diligently and appropriately and in accordance with best practices in the oil industry," and that the 3,000 barrel spill caused "no discernable environmental impact to marine life or human health." For the full story, see http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/12/us-chevron-brazil-idUSBRE83A1AC20120412. Earlier: http://elr.info/International/update/3.26.12.internationalupdate.cfm.