'Ocean on fire': Huge blaze in Gulf of Mexico extinguished without casualties

A massive fire from a gas leak in the Gulf of Mexico has been extinguished after a five-hour-long operation, informed Mexican state oil company Pemex. No injuries were reported and production from the oil platform in the vicinity was unaffected, the company mentioned.

The fire started in an underwater pipeline that connects to a platform at Pemex's flagship Ku Maloob Zaap oil development. Reports suggest that the fire began at 5:15 AM local time and was completely put out by 10:30 AM. Company workers used liquid nitrogen to control the fire.

Ku Maloob Zaap is located just up from the southern rim of the Gulf of Mexico, close to the Mexican state of Campeche. It is Pemex's biggest crude oil production facility, accounting for more than 40 per cent of its nearly 1.7 million barrels of daily output.

Videos from the scene showed bright right flames on the water surface, resembling lava pouring out of an underwater volcano. The gas leak that triggered the fire occurred at 78 metres from the surface.

Pemex said it would investigate the cause behind the gas leak. The company said it has shut the valves of the 12-inch-diameter pipeline.

Citing an incident report by Pemex, Reuters reported that the turbomachinery of Ku Maloob Zaap's active production facilities were affected by an electrical storm and heavy rains.

Angel Carrizales, head of Mexico's oil safety regulator ASEA, tweeted that the incident "did not generate any spill." He provide no explanation on what fuelled the fire burning on the ocean's surface.