The NewsRoom
Release: #3842
Date: August 4, 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 are evacuating
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 23
production platforms, equivalent to 3.2 % 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 6 rigs have also been evacuated; this is equivalent
to 4.8 % 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 0.87
% 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 7.21 % 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 |
2 |
15 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
23 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
3,753 |
3,083 |
809 |
0 |
3,894 |
11,539 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
102 |
437 |
9 |
0 |
7 |
555 |
This survey information is reflective of 16 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:
08/04/2008,
01:02 PM
Central Time
|