Dec. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Mexican authorities arrested at least 10 people vandalizing a Petroleos Mexicanos facility last week, the state-owned oil company said.

The men were drunk and caused minor damage to a pipeline at the El Salitre plant in the central state of Guanajuato, said Carlos Ramirez, spokesman for the company, in a telephone interview.

Ramirez denied a report by the Mexico City-based newspaper El Universal that the group was trying to sabotage the facility, which was the target of bombings by a rebel group earlier this year.

The pipeline is working normally and the arrest took place two or three nights ago, he said. The vandals, who didn't have any weapons or bombs on them, will be prosecuted, Ramirez said.

In July, the Popular Revolutionary Army, a Mexican guerrilla group, bombed the Pemex facility where the men were arrested to demand the release of two of its members.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andres R. Martinez in Chicago at amartinez28@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: December 30, 2007 16:42 EST