PEMEX Publishes Tender to Reduce Emissions

PEMEX launched a tender to request an opinion service on its prevention program and comprehensive control of methane emissions at PEMEX Exploration and Production (PEP). The service focuses on the production facilities at Cantarell, Ku Maloob Zaap, Ek Balam, Abkatun Pol Chuc and Litoral Tabasco.

In June 2022, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported the detection of a massive 17-day discharge of methane in December 2021 in the Gulf of Mexico. The study determined that an offshore oil platform released 40,000 tons of methane to the atmosphere. “The team then analyzed a longer time-series of flaring activity at the site. The results from this analysis showed that this ultra-emitting event, likely related to abnormal process conditions, was a one-time incident with the longest duration since flaring activity began at this platform,” stated ESA’s report. Said platform was the Zaap-C Platform at Ku Maloob Zaap (KMZ), which is responsible for 20 percent of the oil production in Mexico.

In September PEMEX released a statement claiming that scientists misinterpreted nitrogen as methane. The NOC stated that it was an unprofessional analysis since scientists did not ask the company for data regarding the emissions. According to another study by SOLAL-GENERMASA, said emissions represented 2,224 tons of methane, 5 percent of the total reported by Environmental Science & Technology Letters. 

“It is important to point out that these emissions were an extraordinary event due to the meteorological conditions derived from heavy rains and gusts of wind that turned off the burner for a few hours, precisely because the aforementioned emissions do not contain enough fuel gas. It is worth mentioning that burners are safety devices at processing centers that must function continuously and that must be turned on in case they go out,” stated PEMEX.

The NOC seeks to reduce gas emissions by 98 percent over the next few years. López Obrador highlighted an investment of US$2 billion in the state-utility to reduce methane gas emissions in exploration and production processes at Ixachi, reported MBN Following another huge methane plume above KMZ in August, the company announced the allocation of MX$9 billion (US$450.25 million) to address risks identified in its ESG compliance strategy between 2018 and 2022. 

Last year, PEMEX’s Risk Committee began a program to address further environmental risks. In this program, the NOC prioritizes the modernization of facilities, implementation of systems and mechanisms for monitoring and control of air pollution and the acquisition of the right equipment to deal with emergencies related to oil spills.