In its more than 11,000 kilometers of coastlines, **Mexico** faces the impacts of human activities. One of the major risks, especially in the **Gulf of Mexico**, is the [exploitation of hydrocarbons](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/trump-quiere-revertir-la-proteccion-de-especies-para-avanzar-en-la-explotacion-del-petroleo/) and oil spills.
Throughout the history of the oil industry, numerous disasters have been recorded on the Mexican coast that have had devastating consequences environmentally, socially, and economically. Despite its sad fame, it is a problem that has not yet been resolved.
## Years of Unreported Oil Spills
Six years of **oil pollution** in Mexico reveal a scenario where **spills in the Gulf** were not reported by the responsible companies or sanctioned by the authorities.
These spills go unpunished because oil companies do not report them, and authorities do not detect them or act accordingly. The **lack of transparency and effective regulation** allows pollution to continue without legal or economic consequences for those responsible.
It is important to remember that an oil spill is the **accidental or intentional release of liquid hydrocarbons** into the environment, usually in bodies of water such as oceans, rivers, or lakes.
These spills can occur due to failures in oil platforms, pipelines, oil tankers, or extraction wells and pose a serious environmental threat. They contaminate water, affect marine life, and damage coastal ecosystems. In addition, cleanup is often expensive and complicated, especially if not acted upon immediately.
## Causes and Consequences in the Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is one of the main **oil extraction areas** in Mexico, with offshore platforms and pipelines operating constantly. The combination of intense activity, aging infrastructure, operational risks, and poor supervision facilitates the occurrence of unreported spills.
**Satellite images** revealed that for at least six years, unreported oil leaks were recorded by companies. This exacerbates the **environmental crisis** in the region.
These unreported oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico are mainly attributable to **Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex)**. Pemex is the state-owned company responsible for hydrocarbon exploration and production in the region.
Recent investigations have revealed that between January 2018 and July 2024, oil stains were identified in 74 months; however, in 44 of those months (60%), there are **no official reports of spills**.
Furthermore, it was documented that Pemex did not inform the Agency for Safety, Energy, and Environment (ASEA) about 61% of the oil accidents that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico between 2018 and 2023. While Pemex reported 23 incidents in that period, ASEA was only notified of nine of them.
The lack of transparency and underestimation of spilled volumes hinder the implementation of **corrective measures and appropriate sanctions**, perpetuating impunity in these cases.
## The Worst Oil Spill in the History of the Gulf of Mexico
On April 20, 2010, the offshore platform **Deepwater Horizon** of the British company British Petroleum exploded off the coast of Louisiana, causing the death of 11 workers.
Two days later, on April 22, the platform, a floating city where around 200 people worked, sank forever. This ruptured the submerged oil pipes, causing the largest **oil spill in U.S. history** and an [unprecedented ecological disaster](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/corales-del-golfo-de-mexico-continuan-afectados-por-derrame-de-petroleo-de-hace-13-anos/) in the Gulf of Mexico region.
The oil spread across the waters of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and northern Florida, affecting not only marine life but also the **coastal economies** of the southeastern United States. Additionally, it has been reported that remnants of spilled oil reached the **coasts of Africa**.
The **platform explosion** was followed by absolute chaos in the ecological environment. Although British Petroleum (BP) was forced to pay nearly $19 billion in compensation and attempted for months to contain the spill, the oil contaminated 2,000 kilometers of coasts where **pelicans, dolphins, whales, and turtles covered in oil** arrived.
## Consequences of the Deepwater Horizon Spill
A report published by Oceana, one of the largest NGOs for **ocean conservation**, indicates that in the five years following the explosion, the population of **Bryde’s whales** decreased by 22%, and some populations of fish, shrimp, and squid decreased by 85%. Additionally, the deaths of 800,000 birds, 170,000 **turtles**, and over 8 **million oysters** have been reported.
It is estimated that the **fishing industry** lost $1 billion and the tourism sector over $500 million. The U.S. government calculated that 227 million liters of oil remained in the environment for years.
*Cover photo: Planet Labs Inc*
With information from Mongabay.
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