Pemex reported that on July 2, 2021, an underwater gas pipeline ruptured in its Ku-Maloob-Zaap field in the Gulf of Mexico.
The resulting gas leak caused a fire in the ocean.
According to Pemex’s own investigation, lightning in the area caused the fire when it struck gas that had risen to the surface of the ocean.
Pipeline
The oil company repaired the pipeline and controlled the gas leak in five hours.
There were no oil leaks as a result of the accident and no injuries or deaths were reported.
Whitout deal
Then, on July 5, 2021, the Ministry of Energy (Sener) granted Pemex control of the Zama field.
Pemex had been in talks with the Block 7 Consortium, which is made up of Talos Energy Offshore Mexico 7, Sierra O&G Exploración y Producción (now a WSDM company) and Premier Oil Exploration and Production México, in order to jointly submit a proposal for unification agreement to the Sener.
In the end, Pemex could not reach an agreement regarding the unification of the Zama field and, therefore, Sener was empowered to award control of the field.
Another fire
On August 22, 2021, a fire broke out on the E-Ku-A2 platform of Pemex’s Ku-A processing center in the Ku-Maloob Zaap business unit.
Unfortunately, seven people lost their lives and six people were injured in the fire.
Due to the fire, Pemex temporarily halted production at 125 wells. While we restored production from these wells as of August 30, 2021, this shutdown resulted in a decrease in production of 1.6 million barrels.
Pemex is the largest company in Mexico, and its subsidiaries include the 11th largest crude oil producer in the world and the 20th largest oil and gas company in the world according to 2019 data.
Its subsidiaries are Pemex Exploración y Producción, Pemex Logística, Pemex Transformación Industrial and, before January 1, 2021, Pemex Fertilizantes.
Pemex Fertilizantes merged with Pemex Transformación Industrial as of January 1, 2021.
Pemex is a productive state company of the government, and each of the subsidiary entities is a productive state subsidiary.
