---
[ IMPORTANT READS ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads)
# 'This Is Our Future' Without Climate Action, Advocates Warn After Pipeline Causes Fire in Gulf of Mexico
July 05 2021
Written by Julia Conley.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
CLIMATE POLITICS-A fire that raged for hours in the Gulf of Mexico Friday offered the latest illustration of the climate emergency and the urgent need to end fossil fuel extraction and invest instead in burgeoning renewable energy industries.
An underwater gas pipeline controlled by Mexico's state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, also known as Pemex, burst in the early morning hours, sending flames ["resembling molten lava"](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/fire-offshore-pemex-platform-gulf-mexico-under-control-2021-07-02/) to the water's surface.
The "eye of fire," as news outlets and observers on social media [called](https://twitter.com/WVTM13/status/1411143764555579392) the blaze after Pemex publicized the incident Friday night, happened about 150 yards from a drilling platform in the Ku-Maloob-Zaap offshore field. [According to](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-02/pemex-battles-fire-near-offshore-oil-platform-complex?sref=jjXJRDFv) Bloomberg, the field produces more than 700,000 barrels of oil per day.
**It took emergency workers about five hours to put out the flames.**
"Having to put out a fire in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico feels just too difficult to believe," tweeted HuffPost editor Philip Lewis. "And yet..."
"The frightening footage of the Gulf of Mexico is showing the world that offshore drilling is dirty and dangerous," Miyoko Sakashita, oceans program director for the Center for Biological Diversity, [told](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/mexicos-pemex-suffers-huge-gas-pipeline-fire-in-gulf/2021/07/02/f3993af0-db7e-11eb-8c87-ad6f27918c78_story.html) the Washington Post. "These horrific accidents will continue to harm the Gulf if we don't end offshore drilling once and for all."
Pemex has seen production declining recently, [according to](https://twitter.com/blkahn/status/1411082011280871427) Bloomberg, with output falling every year for the past decade and a half and putting the company into $114 billion in debt.
Entrepreneur and fair wage advocate Dan Price catalogued several of the past week's climate-related emergencies, including the fire in the gulf as well as [deadly heatwaves](https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/07/01/horrifying-record-breaking-northwest-heatwave-linked-hundreds-deaths) in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, which sparked outraged calls for climate action in recent days.
"The Gulf of Mexico is on fire, it's 112 degrees in Portland, roads and rails are crumbling from the sun, wildfire and hurricane season are here in record time and people are concerned about the cost of going green," [said](https://twitter.com/DanPriceSeattle/status/1411170415523794953) Price. "COMPARED TO WHAT?"
The pipeline burst days after undercover journalists [released footage](https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/06/30/bombshell-secret-footage-exxonmobil-lobbyists-sparks-calls-action-congress) of lobbyists from fossil fuel giant ExxonMobil, in which the lobbyists discussed their fight against climate science and their reliance on centrist lawmakers such as Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Jon Tester (D-Mt.) to ensure the failure of far-reaching climate action legislation.
The progressive advocacy group RootsAction released a version of the Gulf of Mexico fire footage with images of the centrist lawmakers.
"This is our future," the group said of the image of the world's largest gulf on fire. "Don't forget who is responsible."
*(Julia Conley writes for CommonDreams.org … where this piece was first posted.)*
*-cw*
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Website
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33461-are-small-businesses-and-workers-fighting-their-true-adversary-in-the-fast-food-battle)
### [Are Small Businesses And Workers Fighting Their True Adversary In The Fast-Food Battle?](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33461-are-small-businesses-and-workers-fighting-their-true-adversary-in-the-fast-food-battle)
THE WORKPLACE - On Sept. 8, the Los Angeles City Council voted to get one step closer to expanding Fair Work Week to fa…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33486-why-would-la-voters-elect-a-city-attorney-who-has-never-tried-a-case-in-court-in-front-of-a-jury)
### [Why Would LA Voters Elect A City Attorney Who Has Never Tried A Case In Court In Front Of A Jury?](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33486-why-would-la-voters-elect-a-city-attorney-who-has-never-tried-a-case-in-court-in-front-of-a-jury)
OP-ED - I am writing to my neighbors over my deep concern about the candidacy of Marissa Roy for Los Angeles City Attor…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-watchdog/33463-dwp-ratepayers-streetlights-and-the-lack-of-transparency)
### [DWP Ratepayers, Streetlights, and the Lack of Transparency](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-watchdog/33463-dwp-ratepayers-streetlights-and-the-lack-of-transparency)
LA WATCHDOG - At its September 22 meeting, the politically appointed Board of Water and Power Commissioners approved a…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/election-2024/33455-nithya-raman-asked-jewish-los-angeles-to-trust-her-her-own-words-made-that-harder)
### [Nithya Raman Asked Jewish Los Angeles to Trust Her. Her Own Words Made That Harder.](https://www.citywatchla.com/election-2024/33455-nithya-raman-asked-jewish-los-angeles-to-trust-her-her-own-words-made-that-harder)
ELECTION 2026 - Nithya Raman walked into the Skirball Cultural Center with an opportunity. She could speak directly to…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33456-whos-watching-the-billions-at-laccd)
### [Who’s Watching the Billions at LACCD?](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33456-whos-watching-the-billions-at-laccd)
BUSINESS OF EDUCATION - There is a $9.9 billion government institution in Los Angeles with nine colleges, thousands of…
---
## [ IMPORTANT READS ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33474-what-to-do-after-a-motorcycle-crash-before-pursuing-a-claim-early)### [What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash Before Pursuing a Claim Early](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33474-what-to-do-after-a-motorcycle-crash-before-pursuing-a-claim-early)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33472-how-to-respond-to-sexual-harassment-when-the-harasser-has-workplace-authority)### [How to Respond to Sexual Harassment When the Harasser Has Workplace Authority](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33472-how-to-respond-to-sexual-harassment-when-the-harasser-has-workplace-authority)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33443-stronger-schools-together-lausds-smokescreen-for-keeping-families-ignorant)### [“Stronger Schools Together”: LAUSD’s Smokescreen for Keeping Families Ignorant](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33443-stronger-schools-together-lausds-smokescreen-for-keeping-families-ignorant)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33427-how-to-transport-fine-art-during-a-move)### [How to Transport Fine Art During a Move](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33427-how-to-transport-fine-art-during-a-move)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33423-lessons-in-transit-navigating-tokyos-neighborhoods-and-transit-friendly-accommodations)### [Lessons in Transit: Navigating Tokyo's Neighborhoods and Transit-Friendly Accommodations](https://www.citywatchla.com/important-reads/33423-lessons-in-transit-navigating-tokyos-neighborhoods-and-transit-friendly-accommodations)