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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | July 2007 
Explosions Hit Mexico Fuel Pipelines
 Reuters
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| | A gas pipeline burns after an explosion in Salamanca, Mexico, Thursday, July 5, 2007. Guanajuato. a natural-gas pipeline, exploded and burned at two points prompting authorities to evacuate residents. No injuries were reported. (AP/Mario Armas) |
An explosion shut off three fuel pipelines in Mexico on Tuesday, the fourth such blast in a week, forcing the evacuation of nearby communities.
State-owned oil monopoly Pemex said there were no injuries, and predicted no impact on crude oil exports since the pipelines served the domestic market.
Pemex said firefighters had the blaze under control at a 36-inch natural gas pipeline running between Mexico City and the western city of Guadalajara, and neighbors were evacuated to safety.
A nearby 14-inch liquefied petroleum gas pipeline and a 16-inch crude oil pipeline running between oil fields at Poza Rica and its Salamanca oil refinery also had to be shut off.
Pemex said the affected pipelines served the domestic market. "There is no problem with the (crude oil) pipelines running to ports," a spokeswoman said.
Last Thursday, Pemex reported three pipeline explosions in central Mexico, setting off raging fires, but also affecting only domestic supply of natural gas, liquid petroleum gas and gasoline. Those pipelines were now operational again.
Pemex said federal prosecutors were investigating all four cases, as one local newspaper speculated that sabotage could be behind the accidents.
"We don't know. The attorney general's office is carrying out the investigations," the spokeswoman said.
Pipeline spills are common in Mexico, caused by the poor state of Pemex's old and rusting pipelines or by fuel looters, and leaks sometimes lead to fires. But Pemex normally reports only a few pipeline explosions a year.
Pemex said a drop in pressure alerted it to the explosion early on Tuesday. Pre-dawn television images showed flames jumping dozens of meters into the air, but Pemex said no injuries were reported.
The frequency of accidents and spills at Pemex installations has left parts of southeastern Mexico soaked in pollution, drawing fire from environmentalists.
Mexico is a top supplier of crude oil to the United States, but is a net importer of natural gas and gasoline. |
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