This 2010 photo shows the Ku Maloob Zapp offshore crude oil complex in Gulf of Mexico. It is one of Pemex's most productive facilities. Photo by Alfredo Estrella ( Getty Images)The Pacific Northwest is being sweltering with a record heat wave, and the Gulf of Mexico was literally on fire Friday as the ocean caught on fire. This is just another day in these fiery final days.AdvertisementAfter an underwater pipeline burst early Friday morning, flames rose from the ocean near Ku Maloob Zaap, an offshore platform owned by state-owned oil company Pemex. According to a company statement, a gas leak caused a fire that spread approximately 164 yards (150 m) from the platform. Sources told Reuters that the fire was extinguished in less than five hours. There were no reported injuries or significant impacts on production.The incident was captured in horrifying online videos. It shows what appears to be a molten whirlpool flames just outside of Pemexs oil platform.Ku Maloob Zaap is located in Campeche Sound, just above the Gulf of Mexico's southern rim. It is Pemex's most productive facility, accounting for over 40% of its 1.68million barrels of daily crude oil production. According to an incident report shared by Reuters, 726,000 barrels of crude oil were being produced per day when the fire broke out.According to Reuters, an electrical storm and heavy rainfalls caused damage to the active production facilities of Ku Maloob Zaap's turbomachinery. Workers also used nitrogen to put out the flames.AdvertisementPemex stated Friday that it would investigate the cause and had shut down the valves for the 12-inch-diameter pipeline. This is just the latest incident in a long line of major accidents at Pemex's facilities. According to Statista, approximately 100 people died in explosions or fires caused by Pemex between 2010 and 2017.Even though no amount of profit can ever justify the human and environmental toll, it is even more shocking to learn that Pemex is actually losing cash on this project. Bloomberg reports that Ku Maloob Zapp's production has been declining every year since 2000. This is due to the fact that its debt-ridden owner doesn't have the resources necessary to invest in new extraction technology. Pemex currently holds $113 billion of debt, which is the largest oil major worldwide.
