A 400 km2 oil leak spotted in the Gulf of Mexico and denounced by NGOs

2023-07-19 13:17:36

Greenpeace and other NGOs on Tuesday denounced an oil leak covering 400 km2 in the Gulf of Mexico. According to the organizations, it was spotted near a gas production platform whose explosion and fire killed two workers on July 7.

The leak, confirmed by satellite images according to NGOs, began around July 4, they said in a statement criticizing the “complete opacity” of the authorities around this oil leak.

A few hours ago, @PEMEX issued a statement regarding the complaint about a spill.

We have doubts: If, according to the parastatal, the extension of the spill was .06 km2, then what explanation do they give to the stain of more than 400 km2?

Our answer: https://t.co/xbBFD5INxr

— Greenpeace México (@greenpeacemx) July 19, 2023

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Pemex recognizes a “minimal” leak

The state-owned company Pemex admitted later in the day on Tuesday a leak, relating to a “volume of hydrocarbons” which is “minimal”. “Most of the spilled volume was recovered immediately,” Pemex added in its statement. Pemex denounced the NGOs’ “bad faith estimate”: “For it to be true, more than one and a half million barrels of oil would have had to spill. Pemex, however, did not mention the satellite images that the associations broadcast.

???? Clarifies #PEMEX on leak control in the Ek Balam fields. pic.twitter.com/FPEZM0p30s

— Petróleos Mexicanos (@Pemex) July 18, 2023

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NGOs have pointed to a 152% increase in accident frequency over the past two years. Industrial flagship of national sovereignty, Pemex drags a debt of 107.4 billion dollars.