Mexico pipeline explosion

Fuel thieves tampering with an oil pipeline may have sparked the explosion that killed 28 people in central Mexico on Sunday morning, according to Mexico's state oil giant Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex).

Oil thieves have been blamed for Sunday's oil pipeline explosion, which killed 28 people, injured 52 others and damaged at least 80 homes in San Martin Texmelucan.

The 30 in. Nuevo Teapa pipeline in San Martin Texmelucan, Puebla state, exploded at 5:50 am local time on 19^th December, causing crude to flow into a nearby river and a cloud of smoke to blacken the sky.

"There was no corrosion, comprehensive maintenance was carried out on the pipeline in 2008," said Juan Jose Suarez Coppel, CEO of Pemex.

"The opening in the pipeline is consistent with a botched illegal tap that triggered a loss of control," he said, adding that illegal tapping of Pemex's pipelines increased to 600 cases this year from 400 last year.

However, mechanical failure has not been ruled out as a possible cause for the disaster.

Pemex is working to capture and clean the spilled oil and is working to clean the area affected, including San Martin Texmelucan and the Atoyac River.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/22122010/thieves_blamed_for_deadly_mexico_pipeline_blast/