Wednesday, February 23, 2000 Last updated: 07:50 EST

Mexico natural gas supply seen unaffected by pipeline fire

By KERM YERMAN

A fire on Monday at a pipeline in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas is not expected to crimp the nation's supplies of natural gas, Mexican state oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos said on Tuesday. Pemex said workers were still cleaning up the area affected by the fire, which occurred at a 36-inch pipeline. It is expected to be operating normally within 72 hours, the company said in a statement.

One worker injured in the blaze remained in intensive care at a local hospital, while another worker with second and third-degree burns was in stable condition, Pemex said. A third was released. Because the company has alternative lines to supply natural gas,

Pemex will be able to fulfill its contracts with various industries, the company said.

Pemex and the Mexican attorney general's office are investigating the cause of the fire, the company added. A Pemex spokesman said no other information was available.

Mexico produced about 4.8 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas in 1999.

http://www.canoe.ca/MoneyOil/mw_oilnews12.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 23, 2000