Pemex Reveals Internal Cover-Up Behind Offshore Oil Spill

Oiled nets, Veracruz, March 27 (Jorge Serrano / Greenpeace)

Mexican state oil company Pemex has admitted that one of its subsea pipelines caused the massive oil slick that has polluted beaches up and down Mexico's Gulf coastline.

The release was first spotted off the coast of Veracruz and Tabasco in mid-February, and over the span of the month it spread along nearly 400 miles of coastline. The spill remained active as late as March 27, authorities believe. Oiled wildlife and polluted reefs have been reported, and seven nature reserves have been affected. Greenpeace Mexico has created a collaborative online map to track sightings of oil and cleanup efforts.

The Mexican Navy's initial investigation pointed to several sources not associated with oil and gas production, including a vessel at anchor off Coatzacoalcos and two known natural oil seeps. The latter two were the most likely culprits, Mexican Navy Secretary Adm. Raymundo Morales said at a press conference in late March.

Pemex Chief Executive Officer Victor Rodriguez said late last week that the spill was caused by a 36-inch subsea pipeline next to the Abkatun platform complex. According to Rodriguez, the leak was discovered February 6 and continued until February 14, when the pipeline was finally shut down. Nearly a dozen workboats were dispatched to find, contain and fix the breach, with repairs completed February 18. Despite the scale of the leak, the incident was not reported up to senior management, and division supervisors "systematically denied" the existence of the release, he said. He told reporters that three Pemex employees in senior safety/environmental roles have been fired in connection with the spill, and the matter has been referred to prosecutors.

Environmental NGOs say that Pemex's response to the spill was inadequate. "Pemex hasn't reported how much hydrocarbon was spilled. The government also hasn't made transparent the extent of the damage, nor how much it will have to pay to remedy the situation. The support announced for fishermen and cooperatives doesn't replace full reparations for the damage," said Greenpeace Mexico in a statement. The group called for clarity on the size of the spill and Pemex's plans to restore affected ecosystems.

It is far from Pemex's first casualty, nor is it the first at the Abkatun complex, where oil and gas from three separate fields are processed. In 2015, the Abkatun Alpha platform sustained a massive explosion and fire, killing four workers and leaving three missing. Losses from the blast were estimated in the range of $780 million.