
Bay of Campeche
The 'Bay of Campeche' (
Spanish: ''Bahía de Campeche'') (sometimes confused with ''Sonda de Campeche'') is the southern
bight of the
Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the
Mexican states of
Campeche,
Tabasco and
Veracruz. It was named by
Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and
Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in
1517.
Oil resource
The
Cantarell Complex of five
oil fields lies beneath the Bay of Campeche. It is the second most productive oil field in the world, supplying about two thirds of Mexico's
crude oil output. On
June 3,
1979,
Ixtoc I, an exploratory oil well, located in the bay, suffered a blowout and became the largest unintentional oil spill in history.
Miscellaneous information
During the months of June and July, the Bay of Campeche is considered one of the "hot" breeding spots for
Atlantic hurricanes. The bay is also considered the eastern border on the main migration routes for birds in the Americas.
Notes
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Where do hurricanes form and where do they strike?
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Routes of Migration