More rigs and platforms evacuated, oil and gas shut-in as Tropical Storm Don approaches
02 August 2011
As Tropical Storm Don approaches today (August 1) oil and gas operations in the US Gulf of Mexico, even more production platforms and drilling rigs have been evacuated. According to a report from the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE), offshore staff have been evacuated from 56 oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf, shutting in some 11.9 per cent of the oil and 6.2 per cent of the natural gas produced daily.
As operators take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their personnel and the environment, shutting-in production ensures that a passing storm will not cause any major hydrocarbon spill. Currently, 166,554 barrels of oil a day and 327 million cubic feet of natural gas a day is shut-in.
Additionally, four offshore drilling rigs have been evacuated, and more non-essential personnel have been evacuated as the storm approaches.
Following the passage of the storm, BOEMRE will inspect all the facilities in the path of Tropical Storm Don, before production resumes.
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