Storm Cindy downgraded to tropical depression

The tropical storm Cindy that has hit the U.S. Gulf of Mexico this week and forced some oil and gas operators to evacuate workers has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center on Thursday said the Tropical Storm Warning from High Island, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana, had been discontinued, but warned that it would continue to produce heavy rainfall over portions of the northern Gulf Coast and the southeastern and eastern United States, along with the potential for life-threatening flash flooding in some locations.

As for the Gulf of Mexico statistics, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement on Thursday (11:30 CDT) shared that personnel was evacuated from a total of 39 production platforms, 5.29% percent of the 737 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Also, personnel was evacuated from one offshore rig.

From operator reports, BSEE said it was estimated that approximately 16.47 percent of the oil production in the Gulf of Mexico had been shut-in. The BSEE is expected to release the updated statistics on Friday afternoon.