Offshore operators have halted nearly two-thirds of US Gulf of Mexico oil production ahead of Hurricane Isaias, while maritime authorities prepare for possible disruption to port operations, gCaptain reported. The storm is forecast to reach the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, with further strengthening expected before landfall.
Figures from the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), cited by gCaptain, put oil production shut-ins at 62.9% of daily output, equivalent to 1.28 million barrels per day. That compares with about 25% reported offline on Wednesday. Natural gas shutdowns reached 57.4% of daily production, or approximately 1.13 billion cubic feet per day. The agency’s Thursday update drew on submissions from 12 offshore operators received by 11 a.m. CDT.
Personnel have been withdrawn from 121 production platforms, out of 371 manned platforms in the Gulf. Operators have also evacuated five drilling rigs without dynamic positioning, while four dynamically positioned rigs have relocated away from the storm’s path. Shell has begun shutting down its Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Vito and Appomattox facilities, and Chevron has suspended operations at four offshore sites, according to the report.
The National Hurricane Center’s Thursday advisory at 10 a.m. CDT placed Isaias about 380 miles south of the Mississippi River’s mouth, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. It was travelling east-northeast at 10 mph. Hurricane and storm surge warnings cover parts of the coast, where forecasts indicate damaging winds, heavy rainfall and dangerous coastal flooding.
The US Coast Guard is preparing for storm response and the subsequent restoration of port operations. It cautioned that rescue capabilities could be severely restricted or unavailable at the hurricane’s peak. Commercial mariners and recreational boaters were urged to take precautions because hazardous seas and winds could reach hundreds of miles beyond the projected track. Local Coast Guard units will publish any port condition changes through official channels.
The MMA described production shutdowns as routine hurricane safeguards, with operators securing wells by closing safety valves before evacuations. Facilities must be inspected after the storm before output restarts. Undamaged installations can generally resume production promptly, but those suffering damage may need more extensive repairs.