Page 7 - LatAmOil Week 41 2022
P. 7

LatAmOil                                         MEXICO                                            LatAmOil


























                                     Satellite images showed methane leaks from the Zaap-C platform last December (Images: ESA)

                         Reuters had reported late last month that ASEA   methane leaks, which occurred at the Zaap-C
                         had replied to a separate freedom of information   platform in December 2021. It conceded last
                         request by stating that there were “no records”   month that methane was released from the plat-
                         of “a possible incident at the asset Ku-Maloob-  form, as stated in an article published in Envi-
                         Zaap in December 2021.”              ronmental Science & Technology Letters by a
                           The leaks also seem to have gone unre-  research team led by Itziar Irakulis-Loitxate at
                         marked elsewhere, as Reuters has not been able   the Polytechnic University of Valencia in June
                         to determine independently whether Pemex   2022.
                         reported the matter via any other channels.  However, it disputed the team’s conclusions
                           As of press time, the NOC had not responded   about the frequency, size and composition of
                         to the news agency’s request for clarification as   the leaks, citing a study performed by its own
                         to why it had not submitted any reports. Reuters   contractor, Solal-Genermasa.
                         said it had asked for records of all the incident   In response, the research team has rejected
                         reports the company’s upstream arm had sub-  Pemex’s contention that the leaks consisted
                         mitted to ASEA (and its predecessor) within the   largely of nitrogen, which has no effect on
                         last decade.                         climate. In a statement sent to Reuters, team
                           Pemex is subject to current Mexican legis-  members said nitrogen was not visible to the
                         lation that requires the reporting of methane   sensors they had been using. “There is no way of
                         leaks whenever they have the potential to affect   mistaking one for the other,” the statement said.
                         hydrocarbon production or the safety of work-  “The startling emissions we reported were 100%
                         ers, the environment or oil and gas infrastruc-  methane, plain and simple.”
                         ture, according to experts consulted by the news   Methane is often flared off during oil produc-
                         agency. The events in question met these crite-  tion operations to minimise harmful impact. It
                         ria, so they should have been reported to ASEA   is a key driver of climate change, as it is much
                         within 10 days of their occurrence, in line with   more powerful than at trapping heat than car-
                         Mexican law, explained the experts.  bon dioxide. However, it only lasts in the atmos-
                           Pemex has partially confirmed reports of the   phere for around a decade. ™



                                                      COLOMBIA
       Ecopetrol CEO expresses relief at Petro’s




       change of course on crude oil export tax






                         FELIPE Bayon, the CEO of Colombia’s national   Speaking to reporters in Cartagena, Bayon
                         oil company (NOC) Ecopetrol, said last week   expressed relief at the decision not to include a
                         that he had been pleased to learn that Gustavo   planned tax on coal and crude oil exports in a
                         Petro, the country’s new president, had back-  fiscal reform bill. Petro’s administration appears
                         tracked on campaign promises related to taxing   to be ready to consider solutions that are much
                         extractive industries such as oil and gas.  more acceptable to the energy industry, he said.



       Week 41   12•October•2022                www. NEWSBASE .com                                              P7
   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12