▁paid ▁$ 1 5 . 2 ▁million ▁by ▁Stato il ▁to ▁influence ▁important ▁political ▁figures ▁in ▁Iran ▁to ▁grant ▁oil ▁contract s ▁to ▁Stato il . ▁The ▁cor ruption ▁sc andal ▁was ▁un cover ed ▁by ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁paper ▁D agens ▁N ær ings liv ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁company ▁accepted ▁a ▁$ 1 0 . 5 ▁million ▁fine ▁for ▁viol ating ▁the ▁U . S ▁Foreign ▁Cor rupt ▁Pract ices ▁Act . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Stato il ▁and ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁oil ▁company ▁Pet ro bras ▁signed ▁a ▁deal ▁aim ed ▁at ▁expand ing ▁expl oration , ▁sub - se a , ▁and ▁bio fu els ▁co operation . ▁Under ▁the ▁agreement , ▁Stato il ▁became ▁a ▁partner ▁on ▁six ▁off sh ore ▁lic enses , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁expand ing ▁bio fu els ▁production . ▁Pet ro bras ▁and ▁Stato il ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁create ▁do z ens ▁of ▁ref iner ies ▁in ▁Brazil ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁where ▁veget able ▁oil ▁will ▁be ▁added ▁to ▁cru de ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁no - s ul ph ur ▁fuel . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Stato il ▁bought ▁An ad ark o ▁Pet role um ' s ▁ 5 0 % ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁Per egr ino ▁oil ▁field ▁for ▁US $ 1 . 8 ▁billion . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7