Bay of Campeche
Categories: Seas | Geography of Mexico | Mexico geography stubs
The Bay of Campeche (Spanish: Bahía 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 Fernando de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition around 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, this bay is considered one of the "hot" breeding spots for Atlantic hurricanes [1]. It is also considered the eastern border on the main migrational routes for birds in the Americas [2].
es:Bahia de Campeche