On Friday, a break in an undersea gas line caused a whirling inferno in the Gulf of Mexico that burned for hours, evoking biblical images of Mordor, the volcanic hellscape from "The Lord of the Rings."
According to a statement from Petróleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, Mexico's state-owned oil monopoly, the circular inferno began around 5:15 a.m. after a pipeline with a diameter of about 12 inches ruptured.
The fire was captured on video with ships dousing the flames with water. According to a statement from the business, the fire was eventually put out at 10:45 a.m., and valves linked to the pipeline were turned off.
No Reported Human Casualties
Pemex said no one was hurt and that the source of the spill, which occurred 150 meters off a platform at Ku-Maloob-Zaap, an offshore oil field in the Bay of Campeche, will be investigated.
Under Investigation
It was unclear how much harm the fire may have caused to marine life or how big it was at the time. Messages seeking a response from company executives were not immediately returned.
The breach "did not create a spill," stated Angel Carrizales, executive director of Mexico's Security, Energy, and Environment Agency, on Twitter.
In a statement in Spanish that swiftly prompted suspicion and outrage on social media, he stated the fire was "attended to and contained by Pemex staff in line with their standards for emergency reactions."
"Excuse my stupidity, but how can there be a fire and no-spill at the same time?" According to one Twitter user.
Discussion on Fossil Fuels
As climate change contributes to deadly heat waves across Canada and the Pacific Northwest, several environmental groups referred to the fire as a clear reminder of the dangers of relying on fossil fuels.
In a statement, Gustavo Ampugnani, executive director of Greenpeace Mexico, stated, "These are the hazards we confront daily and which demand a change in the energy strategy."
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Other Possible Damages
According to Chris Robbins, senior manager for science projects at the non-profit Ocean Conservancy, Pemex should investigate whether any additional infrastructure was harmed. In addition, he believes that researchers should be permitted to examine the region to assess any damage to marine life.
Mr. Robbins added, "The film is very alarming: It seems like the gates of hell are opening up." "It looks like this was hurriedly put out, but I believe it raises those concerns. Unfortunately, these kinds of catastrophes will continue to happen as long as we are digging for oil and natural gas."
Improving State-Owned Energy
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico declared his desire to invest billions of dollars in improving the country's state-owned energy firms shortly after taking office in 2018. But, simultaneously, he has turned down most new foreign energy investment, whether in oil exploration or private wind projects.
He has stated that he wants to restore Pemex's former role as a state-owned oil corporation that helped Mexico become energy self-sufficient and created hundreds of thousands of well-paid employments.
Pemex Controversy
Critics have cautioned Mr. López Obrador that he is squandering public funds to revive an industry that is being displaced by newer, cleaner technologies.
Debt, incompetence, and corruption have all plagued Pemex.
Pemex was the world's most indebted oil corporation in 2019, with $107 billion in debt.
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