Gulf of Mexico Operators Evacuate Workers Ahead of Hurricane Isaac (USA)

The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has announced it is continuing to closely monitor the Isaac storm in the Gulf of Mexico.

So far, personnel have been evacuated from a total of 346 production platforms, equivalent to 58.05 percent of the 596 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, personnel have been evacuated from 41 rigs, equivalent to 53.9 percent of the 76 rigs currently operating in the Gulf. Rigs can include several types of self-contained offshore drilling facilities including jackup rigs, submersibles and semisubmersibles.

From operator reports sent to the BSEE, it is estimated that approximately 78.02 percent of the current daily oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in. It is also estimated that approximately 48.13 percent of the current daily natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in.

One of the GoM operatores, Apache, yesterday announced it evacuated 750 workers from its offshore facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. The number has now risen to 970.

The National Hurricane Center has informed that Isaac continues to move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico toward the northern Gulf Coast and is expected to approach the coast of southeastern Louisiana & Mississippi Tuesday afternoon or night. Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph and strengthening is forecast. Isaac is expected to become a hurricane on Tuesday and continue to strengthen until landfall occurs along the northern Gulf Coast.

[mappress]
Offshore Energy Today Staff, August 28, 2012; Image: U.S. Government