Mexico Seeks ID of Tanker Responsible for Oil Discharge as Cleanup Proceeds

oil spill cleanup — Government reports it has 210 workers along 140 miles of coastline and has retrieved more than 95 tons of material (Senmarmat)

Mexican authorities reported over the weekend that cleanup efforts have intensified for an oil spill that it has been battling along the Gulf coast since nearly the beginning of the month. At the same time, they have said they suspect an unnamed tanker for the release and that they will continue the efforts to identify the vessel and take action under the environmental legislation.

The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, told reporters in her weekly press conference that they have determined that the Mexican oil company Pemex (Petroleos Mexicanos) is not responsible for the discharge. Pemax reported that it detected the oil offshore in the Gulf of Mexico on March 4. It has been working alongside the navy and other government departments in the cleanup operation.

Federal authorities said they have been conducting verification patrols, satellite monitoring, analysis of the ocean currents, and on-site follow-up to identify the possible source of the contamination. They believe it came from an offshore anchorage by the Pajaritos petrochemical facility. It is located in Coatzacoalcos in southern Mexico in the midpoint between Tabasco and Veracruz.

The navy was working with Pemex in an attempt to contain the spill. By March 14, the government was saying that the containment efforts had concluded and the focus was on cleanup. The concern is that the region is a popular tourist destination and supports the local fishing operations. Specialized vessels were also deployed in an effort to prevent the spread of the pollution.

The environmental department last week was reporting strong progress, saying by March 16 that 91 tons of hydrocarbon-soaked waste had been collected. They predicted the operations were 85 percent complete last Monday, and by Thursday, said it was 88 percent complete with 94.7 tons of waste collected and stored for analysis. By Saturday, the reports were up to 240 kilograms of waste-soaked material collected, but they backed off on a forecast of the completion percentage.

In the Tabasco region, they reported that 80 cubic meters of waste material had been collected at Ejido Sinaloa, 30 cubic meters at Arroyo Verse, and 10 cubic meters in Manatinero. The cleanup began in Veracruz on March 5, with a total of 210 workers deployed along more than 140 miles of coastline. They reported collecting 40 tons at Barrillas Beach, 20 tons at Linda Beach, and another 30 tons at Jicacal Beach.

Local environmental groups, however, are concerned that there is additional oil offshore. They said the oil has already reached the breading area for fish, shrimp, and clams in Ostion lagoon in Veracruz. They caution that April is nesting season for sea turtles.