Shell workers returning to Gulf of Mexico asset

Oil major Shell has started redeploying workers evacuated due to Hurricane Ida to a Gulf of Mexico asset but 80 per cent of its production in the Gulf remains offline.

Shell on Sunday began the process of redeploying personnel to its Enchilada/Salsa asset. The Perdido asset in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico was never disrupted by the hurricane and the FPSO Turritella (also known as Stones) is currently back online.

In the case of personnel working on those particular assets who reported personal impacts from the storm, Shell returned them to shore so that they can focus on home and family.

Shell’s remaining deepwater assets – Appomattox, Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Auger, and Enchilada/Salsa – remain shut in. Approximately 80 per cent of Shell-operated production is currently offline. Inspections on board confirm that there is no significant structural damage to these Shell assets impacted by the storm. Crews will focus on making any necessary repairs.

As previously reported, Shell’s West Delta-143 (WD-143) platform suffered damages due to the hurricane.

Shell said on Sunday that damage assessments continued at WD-143 and the company was working to understand the full extent of the damage and the degree to which production in the Gulf of Mexico will be impacted.

Other Shell Pipeline offshore assets remain evacuated and the ability to send personnel to them has been impacted by disruption to the logistics network in Southeastern Louisiana.

Shell’s Norco manufacturing facility continues to assess impacts. The site is still without electrical power and remains in the elevated flare with visible smoking. Air monitoring is being conducted on the fence line and Shell is utilizing a 3rd party resource for air monitoring in the community. Shell will continue this monitoring throughout the duration of this event.

Meanwhile, some of oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been restored. According to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), about 88.32 per cent of the current oil production and 82.72 per cent of the gas production in the Gulf of Mexico is still shut in.