Sea of Flames: Underwater Pipeline Sets the Ocean Ablaze

An underwater oil pipeline owned by Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) had a gas leak west of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula that set the ocean ablaze.

A video of the incident was posted by Journalist Manuel Lopez San Martin on Twitter that displayed an “eye of fire” that blazed on the surface of the ocean. According to Martin, the flames were merely 400 meters away from the oil platform.

The company stated that the incident began at 5:15 A.M. on Friday, with gas leaking from the pipeline in the Campeche Sounds. Firefighting vessels were deployed immediately after the security protocols were initiated; the company added.

It took 5 hours to extinguish the fire, after the interconnection valves were closed. Normal operating conditions then recommenced with no reports of injuries or evacuees.

According to Angel Carrizales, the executive director of Mexico’s security, energy and environment agency, the pipeline did not generate a spill.

Pemex, with a long history of major industrial incidents, stated that they would investigate what happened.