Fire at Major Mexican Oil Field, Sixth Largest in World

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Fire at Major Mexican Oil Field, Sixth Largest in World, But Production Not Affected

Campeche Bay, Mexico

1/21/2000

A nitrogen injection valve caught fire Friday at Mexico's Cantarell oil field, the sixth largest oil field in the world. But Mexico's Energy Secretary Luis Tellez said that production has not been impacted by the blaze, which burned for 10 hours.

The field produces 1.6 million barrels of crude oil per day.

No injuries were reported.

Pemex (Petroleos Mexicanos) will start nitrogen injection in the field by the second quarter of 2000 to improve the field's crude production as part of an ambitious $10.5 billion project.

Cantarell field is critical to Mexico's oil sector, accounting for about 43% of the country's crude oil production and 33% of its entire proven oil and natural gas reserves.

Link to story:

http://chemsafety.gov/circ/post.cfm?incident_id=4636

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 27, 2000

Answers

Sounds like the punchline for an engineer's joke: the nitrogen injection valve caught on fire.

Like saying the fireman's water hose valve caught on fire.

-- Tom Beckner (tbeckner@xout.erols.com), January 27, 2000.


yes---something wrong (chemically) with this picture.......

-- JIT (justintime@rightnow.net), January 27, 2000.

Here's some MSDS info on Nitrogen

Fire and Explosion Hazard Data ====================================================================== Extinguishing Media: NONFLAMMABLE, INERT Special Fire Fighting Proc: IF LIQUID CYLINDERS ARE INVOLVED IN A FIRE, SAFELY RELOCATE OR KEEP COOL WITH WATER SPRAY. Unusual Fire And Expl Hazrds: NONE =====================================================================

-- Dragnet (just@the.facts), January 27, 2000.


don't suppose someone switched hoses and got nitrous instead???

Night train

-- jes an ol rail chasin footballer who LOVES fuellies too (nighttr@in.lane), January 27, 2000.


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