The NewsRoom
Release: #3844
Date: August 6, 2008
Tropical
Storm Edouard Activity Statistics Update
Minerals
Management Service Activates its Continuity of Operations Plan to
Monitor Activities
NEW ORLEANS
— Offshore oil and gas
operators in the Gulf of Mexico have evacuated platforms and rigs in
the path of Tropical Storm Edouard. The Minerals Management Service
has activated its Continuity of Operations Plan team to monitor the
operators’ activities. This team will be activated until operations
return to normal and the storm is no longer a threat to the Gulf of
Mexico oil and gas activities.
Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted
as of 11:30 a.m. CST today, personnel have been evacuated from a total
of 53 production platforms, equivalent to 7.4 % of the 717 manned
platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Production platforms are the
structures located offshore from which oil and natural gas are
produced. These structures remain in the same location throughout a
project’s duration unlike drilling rigs which typically move from
location to location.
Personnel from 5 rigs have also been evacuated; this is
equivalent to 4.0 % of the 125 rigs currently operating in the Gulf.
Rigs can include several types of self-contained offshore drilling
facilities including jackups, submersibles and semisubmersibles.
From the operators’ reports, it is estimated that
approximately 2.78 % of the oil production in the Gulf has been
shut-in. Estimated oil production from the Gulf of Mexico as of
January 2008 was 1.3 million barrels
of oil per day. It is also estimated that approximately 9.52 % of the
natural gas production in the Gulf has been shut-in. Estimated
natural gas production from the Gulf of Mexico as of January 2008 was
7.7 billion cubic feet of gas per day.
As part of the evacuation process, personnel activate
the shut-in procedure, which can also be accomplished from a remote
location. This involves closing the safety valves located below the
surface of the ocean to prevent the release of oil or gas. During
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the shut-in valves functioned 100 percent
of the time, efficiently closing in production from wells and
resulting in no major spills from the Outer Continental Shelf.
Shutting-in oil and gas production is a standard procedure conducted
by industry for safety and environmental reasons.
The
production percentages are calculated using information submitted by
offshore operators in daily reports. Shut-in production information
included in these reports is based on what the operator expected to
produce that day. The shut-in production figures therefore are
estimates, which the MMS compares to historical production reports to
ensure the estimates follow a logical pattern.
After the hurricane has passed, facilities will be
inspected. Once all standard checks have been completed, production
from undamaged facilities will be brought back on line immediately.
Facilities sustaining damage may take longer to bring back on line.
The MMS will continue to update the evacuation and shut-in statistics
at 1:00 p.m. CST each day until these statistics are no longer
significant.
Districts
|
Lake
Jackson |
Lake
Charles |
Lafayette |
Houma |
New
Orleans |
Total |
Platforms
Evacuated |
18 |
28 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
53 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
12,112 |
16,961 |
4,480 |
2,002 |
521 |
36,076 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
235 |
350 |
141 |
8 |
0 |
734 |
This survey information is
reflective of 45 companies’ reports as of 11:30 a.m. CST.
Contact:
Eileen Angelico
504-736-2595
Caryl Fagot
504-736-2590
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for America
U.S. Department of the Interior
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Last Updated:
08/07/2008,
11:18 AM
Central Time
|