Early Friday morning a gas pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico burst to cause an ‘eye of fire’ that boiled at the surface of the water. The burst pipeline is owned by Petroleos Mexicanos, and it was reported that the spread, although contained was approximately 150 yards wide. 

Petroleos Mexicanos dispatched fire control boats that worked nearly 5 hours spreading water onto the ‘eye’ and later managed to contain and take out the flames. The images that the gas leak produced, was ‘roiling ball of flames’ boiling up to the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. Nobody was harmed in the initial burst of flames and in the recovery of taking out the fire itself.

The only issue is what comes from and after such a dangerous burst like this. For the Gulf of Mexico and the environment, of course, at the moment the damage done is unclear. For a gas pipeline bursting and causing flames of such velocity can be very crucial to the health of the Gulf. The program director for the Center for Biological Diversity wrote that “the frightening footage of the Gulf of Mexico is showing the world that offshore drilling is dirty and dangerous.” If offshore drilling continues the environment of not only the Gulf but the rest of the oceans can cause severe damage to wildlife, and create a ripple effect for the natural environment of the rest of the world.