US oil giant Chevron has agreed to pay 310 million reais ($155 million) to Brazil for an oil spill last year in the Atlantic in deep waters off Rio de Janeiro, officials said Saturday. Government news service Agencia Brasil said 90 million reais would be used exclusively for environmental cleanup and 220 million reais would serve for measures to prevent future spills. Federal prosecutor Gisele Porto said that the fine should send a message to all oil producers that "it is better to invest in preventive measures than to pay a fine for polluting."

An official from Chevron Brazil, Rafael Jaen Williamson, said the company admitted guilt for the disaster and made the payment to show that it was prepared to make amends. "We are prepared to invest our resources in social development projects and environmental, preventative and compensatory measures," he said.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012