(TheRedAlertNews.com) – An offshore gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico, operated by Petroleos Mexicanos, has been obliterated by an explosion and ensuing fire. According to officials, the calamity resulted in two fatalities and eight injuries among workers, with one worker still unaccounted for.
You can watch a video clip of the disaster further down this post.
The deceased and missing employees, as well as five of the injured, were subcontracted workers, while three injured individuals were directly employed by Petroleos Mexicanos, the state-run oil entity popularly referred to as Pemex. The company reassured that none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Pemex reported that a fleet of seven vessels successfully evacuated 321 workers from the distressed platform. Distributed images from the company portrayed multiple fireboats dousing the smoldering platform with streams of water.
Octavio Romero, the head of Petroleos Mexicanos, confirmed the complete destruction of the platform. However, he noted that the adjacent four platforms, which were interconnected, were not affected by the fire.
Despite the scale of the accident, officials indicated minimal chances of an oil spill. However, it remained uncertain whether the incident could compel Pemex to increase flaring, incinerating surplus gas and releasing substantial quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The stricken platform was part of a network that takes gas from wells and transports it via pipelines to storage facilities or ships. Given that some wells produce gas alongside oil, the company faces halting oil production until an alternative gas destination is located or flaring the gas.
Romero hinted that the company may temporarily cease production at certain wells due to the accident, which is expected to decrease crude oil output by “several thousand barrels” daily. He acknowledged that such a scenario would harm the company, emphasizing the necessity to “rapidly return to production.”
Here is the video:
🚨 BREAKING VIDEO: Massive fire breaks out at gas production platform off the coast of Mexico, state energy company Pemex said, six workers injured #Mexico #Breaking #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/7QhN4FFUr1
— Breaking News Desk (@BreakingVideoHQ) July 7, 2023
