Mexican state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos said it is investing $282 million to expand an automated system to detect the theft of crude and fuel from its more than 35,000-kilometer (21,750-mile) 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.
The company said fuel theft via the pipeline taps endangers the safety of nearby communities and threatens the environment.
Pemex, which under a recent energy-sector overhaul must face private competition for the first time in decades, said it . . .
