Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) announced it is investing $282 million to expand an automated system to detect the theft of crude oil and fuel from its more than 21,750-mile (35,000-kilometer) pipeline network.
The so-called SCADA system allows Pemex to immediately detect drops in pressure in the pipeline network and respond rapidly to illegal taps.
Pemex said it has already invested $85 million in the system and that the remaining $197 million will be spent over the next two years.
The investment outlay will also expand the monitoring system to cover its refinery unit’s 47-pipeline network, Pemex said.
Theft of fuel from Pemex pipelines, known in México as “milking,” is common, with both individuals and gangs involved in the illegal activity.
A total of 2,523 fuel theft cases were reported in 2013, Pemex said.
The states with the most reported cases of fuel theft by illegal pipeline taps are Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Sonora, Veracruz and Puebla.
(from Latin American Herald Tribune)
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