BSEE: Over 95% of current Gulf of Mexico oil production shut-in ahead of Hurricane Ida

Hurricane Ida, a category 4 storm, made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana around noon Sunday, Aug. 29, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The storm kept its major hurricane status hours after making landfall.

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted to the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement as of 11:30 CDT on Aug. 29, personnel have been evacuated from 288 production platforms, 51.43% of the 560 manned platforms in the US gulf.

BSEE estimates that 95.65% of current gulf crude oil production (about 1.7 million b/d) and 93.75% of natural gas production have been shut in.

Personnel have been evacuated from all 11 nondynamically positioned rigs working in the gulf. Ten of the 15 dynamically positioned rigs have moved off location out of the path of the storm.

This survey is reflective of 25 companies’ reports as of 11:30 CDT Aug. 29.

Now that the storm has passed, facilities will be inspected. Once all standard checks have been completed, production from undamaged facilities will be brought back online immediately. Facilities sustaining damage may take longer to bring back online, BSEE said.