Mexico's state-owned oil company reports oil spill from damaged platform in Gulf

According to Mexico 's state-owned oil company statement, oil drilling platform was damaged when it collided with another structure in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and an unspecified amount of oil leaked from the rig.

Photo: Mexico's state-owned oil company reports oil spill from damaged platform in Gulf

The mishap was caused by a Gulf coast storm that has brought high winds, rain and cold weather to much of southern Mexico, state-owned Pemex said.

Pemex said the "Usumacinta" drilling platform, owned by a subcontractor, struck a light production platform known as Kab 101 about 20 miles (32 kms) offshore from the port of Dos Bocas, in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco.

Pemex said it had evacuated 81 workers from the Usumacinta rig by boat and had dispatched repair teams, but that the oil leak continued through the afternoon. The company said it will send more repair teams as soon as weather permits.

"A leakage of gas and oil occurred" after waves as high as 25 feet (8 meters) and gusts of wind of as much as 80 mph (130 kph) caused part of the drilling rig to collide with the other platform, knocking out some controls on a valve, the company said.

The valves on the platform were closed after the accident.

The drilling rig is owned by the Compania Perforadora Central S.A. de C.V, and operates under contract to Pemex.