The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) activated its Hurricane Response Team and is monitoring offshore oil and gas operators in the US Gulf of Mexico as they evacuate platforms and rigs ahead of Tropical Storm Francine.
The storm on Tuesday morning was moving toward northeast in the Gulf of Mexico at about 9 mph, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center. On the forecast track, Francine is anticipated to move away from the coast of northeastern Mexico and south Texas this afternoon, move across the northwestern Gulf of Mexico tonight, and then make landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, NOAA said.
Currently, maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected through Wednesday morning, and Francine will likely become a hurricane later today or tonight, NOAA continued.
Infrastructure, production
Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT on Sept. 10, personnel have been evacuated from a total of 130 production platforms, 35% of the 371 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, BSEE reported.
Personnel have been evacuated from 2 non-dynamically positioned (DP) rigs, equivalent to 40% of the 5 rigs of this type currently operating in the Gulf, BSEE said.
A total of three DP rigs have moved off location out of the storm’s path as a precaution. This number represents 15% of the 20 DP rigs currently operating in the Gulf.
From operator reports, BSEE estimates that about 23.55% of the current oil production and 26.56% of the current natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in.
Company updates
As of late Tuesday morning, Shell said it continues to monitor the storm. “Because of downstream impacts, we have shut in production at our Perdido, Auger, and Enchilada/Salsa assets. At our Whale asset, which is not scheduled to begin operations until later this year, we have safely paused drilling operations,” the company said in update Sept. 10.
The operator said it has evacuated non-essential personnel at its Enchilada/Salsa and Auger assets and that there are “currently no other impacts to our production across the Gulf of Mexico.”
As of 11:00 am CST, the company said its manufacturing sites in Louisiana, Geismar and Norco, are operating normally, as is its Deer Park plant in Texas, but that it continues to monitor the situation.
At Geismar and Norco, only personnel preparing for landfall and those operating the plants will report to work on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, Shell said.
Citing a customer report, Reuters said Enbridge evacuated staff from three offshore platforms—South Marsh Island 76, Ship Shoal 207 and 332. In the notice, Reuters reported, Enbridge continued operations at the sites using remote operators.
On Monday, Reuters reported hurricane preparations by ExxonMobil Corp. and Chevron. ExxonMobil, Reuters said, shut-in production and evacuated staff from its Hoover offshore production platform, while noting Chevron was evacuating non-essential personnel from four offshore platforms. Reuters, citing a Chevron spokesperson, said the company's production was continuing at normal levels as of Monday.
