Pemex patches up pipeline in the aftermath of oil spill offshore Mexico

Mexico’s state-owned petroleum heavyweight Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has undertaken repair work at a pipeline, which is connected to its oil platform off the coast of Mexico, to address leaks and prevent hydrocarbon presence on the North American country’s coast.

The Mexican giant has confirmed the completion of works related to reported leaks from the pipeline that transports crude oil from the Akal-C platform to the Dos Bocas Maritime Terminal (TMDB), which were contained by installing two metal clamps, concluding the work on May 6.

As a result, the controlled operation of the pipeline began, enabling the firm to monitor the state of the repairs without finding any traces of oil in the completed segments. This subsea pipeline leak is said to have released an estimated 300 barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

The company has tackled the presence of hydrocarbons observed on the coast of the municipality of Paraíso, Tabasco, covering the 7 kilometers that were originally impacted. In addition, the company claims that 15 points with hydrocarbon presence were analyzed, of which 14 were treated, and one was estimated to be completed on May 9. 

“Containment measures continue with the support of vessels and the installation of barriers in the Mecoacán Lagoon and near the Dos Bocas Maritime Terminal to prevent any additional arrivals on the coast,” emphasized Pemex.

The firm is also working on the Zama oil project off the coast of Tabasco state, whose development is expected to require a $4.5 billion injection of capital, covering the planning of two offshore platforms, 68 kilometers of pipelines and cables, alongside a new onshore facility.

Last month, Pemex reported a fire incident at the PCH-1 platform, followed by an explosion. After the incident, 32 workers were taken to hospitals, with 14 suffering burns, while others had to undergo medical treatment due to smoke inhalation.

The Brazilian heavyweight sees natural gas as a pillar of the energy transition, since it believes that this fuel has positioned itself globally as one of the most prominent fossil fuels, given its versatility, affordable cost, and low environmental impact.

The discovery of new gas deposits in Latin America is interpreted to have sparked interest in the region, changing the energy landscape, which is currently dominated by the United States, Australia, and Russia.

The firm uses Colombia as an example to illustrate its point, since the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) confirmed the discovery of natural gas reserves at the Sirius well that will increase its proven reserves by up to 200% compared to December 2023 figures.

According to Pemex, the significance of the discovery lies in the fact that the South American country had planned to import gas until 2029, but with this discovery, it may no longer be necessary to do so.

Based on the data from Mexico’s Ministry of Energy (Sener), natural gas consumption reached 8.4 billion cubic feet per day in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 4.35% during the 2012-2022 decade.

Pemex highlighted: “Therefore, to maximize the benefits of the industry, Mexico must address the challenge of maintaining a secure and reliable supply of natural gas, as well as meeting the growing demand of the population, through the development of storage, transportation, and distribution infrastructure. 

“Projects such as the natural gas terminal at the port of Altamira, Tamaulipas, will allow the country to be considered a destination for the relocation of production chains, bringing business opportunities for the national industry by offering a reliable and competitive energy supply with the capacity to reduce its carbon footprint.”