Offshore oil and gas operators in the US Gulf of Mexico evacuated platforms and rigs ahead of Hurricane Sally, which made landfall near Gulf Shores, Ala., Sept. 16 as a category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.
Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted to the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement as of 11:30 CDT on Sept. 15, personnel have been evacuated from 149 production platforms, 23.17% of the 643 manned platforms in the US gulf.
BSEE estimates that 26.87% of current gulf crude oil production, or 497,072 b/d, and 28.03% of natural gas production, or 759.72 MMcfd, have been shut in.
Personnel have been evacuated from three of the 10 nondynamically positioned rigs working in the gulf. Two dynamically positioned rigs, by BSEE’s count, have moved off location out of the path of the storm.
This survey is reflective of 30 companies’ reports as of 11:30 CDT Sept. 15.