Russian oil rig sinking casts doubt on Arctic plan

The sinking of a floating oil rig that left more than 50 crew dead or missing is intensifying fears that Russian companies searching for oil in remote areas are unprepared for emergencies, and could cause a disastrous spill in the pristine Arctic region…

Dutch Court Turns Down Trafigura Appeal On Toxic Waste

An Amsterdam appeals court Friday upheld a million-euro fine against multinational oil trader Trafigura for the illegal export of toxic waste, later dumped around Abidjan, causing environmental and human disaster in Ivory Coast.

Shell Arctic drilling conditionally approved

A Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary received federal approval Friday for drilling exploratory wells in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska’s northwest coast but with conditions that raised concerns with the state’s congressional delegation.

Chevron faces $10.6bn Brazil legal suit over oil spill

Brazilian federal prosecutors are seeking 20 billion reais (some $10 billion) for environmental damages from US oil supermajor Chevron and Swiss-based Transocean for an oil spill that began in early November, when wells leaked off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.