Home / Environment / Pemex Official Fired Over Unreported Gulf Oil Leak
Pemex Official Fired Over Unreported Gulf Oil Leak
17 Apr
Summary
- A Pemex leak polluted Gulf beaches and killed wildlife.
- Three officials were fired for failing to report the leak.
- Over 430 tonnes of hydrocarbons have been recovered so far.
A crude oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which polluted beaches and killed wildlife across hundreds of miles, was caused by a leak near the Abkatun field operated by Pemex. The state energy company's CEO, Víctor Rodríguez, confirmed that the leak had gone unreported internally, leading to disciplinary action. Three Pemex officials have already lost their jobs for this failure, with more expected.
The leak began in February, and the resulting spill washed ashore in March. Investigations initially focused on passing petroleum tankers before identifying the source near the Abkatun field. The spill spread over 600 kilometers, impacting seven protected natural reserves in Veracruz and Tabasco. While officials stated no severe environmental damage was detected, six species, including sea turtles and birds, were contaminated.
Authorities have recovered approximately 430 tonnes of hydrocarbons. Cleanup operations are underway at multiple protected sites, such as the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve and the Centla Wetlands Biosphere Reserve. The incident highlights a critical lapse in reporting procedures within Pemex, leading to significant environmental consequences.
