Over 600,000 bpd of Gulf of Mexico oil production shut-in as Hurricane Francine approaches Louisianna
(WO) – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSSE) has activated its Hurricane Response Team and is monitoring offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico as they evacuate platforms and rigs in response to Hurricane Francine.
The BSEE team will work with offshore operators and other state and federal agencies until operations return to normal and the storm is no longer a threat to Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities.
Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT today (Sept. 11), personnel have been evacuated from a total of 171 production platforms, 46% of the 371 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
Personnel have been evacuated from 3 non-dynamically positioned (DP) rig(s), equivalent to 60% of the five rigs of this type currently operating in the Gulf. Rigs can include several types of offshore drilling facilities including jackup rigs, platform rigs, all submersibles, and moored semisubmersibles.
A total of 4 DP rigs have moved off location out of the storm’s path as a precaution. This number represents 20% of the 20 DP rigs currently operating in the Gulf. DP rigs maintain their location while conducting well operations by using thrusters and propellers; these rigs are not moored to the seafloor, so they can move out of harm’s way in a relatively short time frame. Personnel remain on board and return to the original location once the storm has passed.
As part of the evacuation process, personnel activate the applicable shut-in procedure, which can frequently be accomplished from a remote location. This involves closing safety valves located below the surface of the ocean floor to prevent the release of oil or gas, effectively shutting in production from wells in the Gulf and protecting the marine and coastal environments.
From operator reports, BSEE estimates that approximately 38.56% (674,833 bpd) of the current oil production and 48.77% (907 MMcfd) of the current natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in.
After 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.
