Oil has long been crucial to Mexico's economy. While it is less important today than in the past, oil still accounts for about 40 percent of government revenues. However, Cantarell, the world’s third-largest oil field, is facing an uncertain future. Which of the following are true about the field?
A. It was named for a fisherman
B. It may be the result of an asteroid hitting the Yucatan Peninsula
C. It is uncharacteristically small in geographical size
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
In the 1960s, Mexican fisherman Rudesindo Cantarell found that his nets kept getting covered with oil whenever he fished for shrimp in a certain area of the Gulf of Mexico. The massive oil field was discovered when Pemex officials went to sea to investigate.
About 65 million years ago, an asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsula, creating a massive underground volcano that generated the Cantarell field.
Oil fields are typically large, but Cantarell covers only 70 square miles. Unlike most sea-based fields, it is in shallow waters, at a depth of about 50 yards, meaning fewer wells are needed to tap the oil. But its output has fallen sharply in recent years, from 2 million barrels a day to 1.1 million barrels a day.
The Globalist Quiz is produced by The Globalist, a Washington research organization that promotes awareness of world affairs. © 2008 The Globalist, theglobalist.com.
