An oil spill and fire at an offshore platform operated by Pemex, the Mexican national oil company, hasn't gotten much publicity here, but it's apparently a big mess for the environment and a big black eye for Pemex.
The trouble started with
a collision that killed 21 workers and touched off fires that have been extinguished only to ignite again. The well apparently is belching flammable natural gas and toxic hydrogen sulfide--a nasty mix for sure.
As the Herald Tribune article above indicates, some people are seeing this as an example of Pemex incompetence.
Meanwhile, the lost oil production is costing Pemex $400,000 a day, according to El Financiero and other media outlets.
Some of the spilled oil has been contained, but some is showing up on Mexican beaches, where cleanup crews reportedly are excavating the contaminated sand for disposal. Somewhere.
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