"MEXICO CITY - Mexican state energy company Pemex put off urgent repairs and maintenance at an important offshore platform for months, resulting in methane spewing into the atmosphere, according to internal documents and three sources familiar with the infrastructure.

Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a much more potent driver of global warming in the short term than carbon dioxide because it traps more heat in the atmosphere, tonne for tonne.

New data from the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) International Methane Emissions Observatory showed that the problematic Pemex platform in the Gulf of Mexico leaked methane as recently as December 24.

Reuters previously revealed that the Zaap-C platform, one of the most important in the Gulf of Mexico, had leaked on at least 25 days between January and November 2023."

Stefanie Eschenbacher and Allison Martell report for Reuters March 22, 2024. [2]