Chevron, the No. 2 U.S. oil company, said Wednesday that oil from the latest leak in a Brazilian offshore field was not chemically related to oil from a November spill.

Tests on the oil by IPEX-Brazilian Petroleum Expertise Co in Brazil showed that the oil was chemically different than oil previously produced in the Frade field and that it had no traces of drilling mud, meaning it is not residual oil from the November spill, Chevron spokesman Kurt Glaubitz said in an e-mailed response to questions from Reuters.

Oil from the seep discovered this month, which totaled about 1 barrel, is also of a much heavier grade than the oil that leaked from an exploration well in the field in November, Chevron said.

(Reporting By Jeb Blount)

Chevron Leak