"RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazil's government slapped Chevron with a $28 million fine on Monday for causing an oil spill off the country's coast, a penalty that could rise as the U.S. company faces a political backlash over the accident."

"While the spill is relatively small and mostly contained, it has highlighted the environmental risks of tapping Brazil's newfound oil wealth at great depths and could add to delays in politically sensitive plans to develop offshore fields.

President Dilma Rousseff met with her environment and energy ministers to discuss the spill on Monday, a day after Chevron admitted full responsibility for the leak of about 2,400 barrels caused by its drilling."

Leila Coimbra and Sabrina Lorenzi report for Reuters November 21, 2011. [2]