BSEE: 84.3% of current Gulf of Mexico oil production shut-in ahead of Hurricane Laura

This article was updated as of 1:20 p.m. CST Aug. 26

Offshore oil and gas operators in the US Gulf of Mexico have evacuated platforms and rigs ahead of Hurricane Laura.

Hurricane Laura is currently expected to make landfall along the Texas-Louisiana border as a Category 3 storm early Aug. 27.

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted to the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement as of 11:30 CDT on Aug. 26, personnel have been evacuated from 299 production platforms, 46.5% of the 643 manned platforms in the US gulf.

BSEE estimates that 84.3% of current gulf crude oil production, or 1,558,883 b/d, and 60.94% of natural gas production, or 1,651.5 MMcfd, have been shut in.

Personnel have been evacuated from 11 of the 12 nondynamically positioned rigs working in the gulf. All 16 dynamically positioned rigs, by BSEE’s count, have moved off location out of the path of the storm.

This survey is reflective of 45 companies’ reports as of 11:30 CDT Aug. 26.