NEW ORLEANS — Offshore oil and gas operators
in the Gulf of Mexico are re-boarding platforms and rigs and restoring
production following Hurricane Gustav. The Minerals Management Service
is monitoring activities through its Continuity of Operations Plan
team. This team will be activated until operations return to normal.
Based on data from offshore operator reports
submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CST today, personnel have been evacuated
from a total of 334 production platforms, equivalent to 46.6 % 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 34 rigs have also been evacuated;
this is equivalent to 28.1 % of the 121 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 90.5 % of the oil production in the Gulf has been
shut-in. Estimated current oil production from the Gulf of Mexico is
1.3 million barrels of oil per day. It is also estimated that
approximately 79.8 % of the natural gas production in the Gulf has
been shut-in. Estimated current natural gas production from the Gulf
of Mexico is 7.4 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 |
24 |
65 |
56 |
98 |
91 |
334 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
2 |
4 |
2 |
18 |
8 |
34 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
9,865 |
18,550 |
127,011 |
433,645 |
587,667 |
1,176,738 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
116 |
445 |
856 |
1,063 |
3,427 |
5,907 |
This survey information is
reflective of 63 companies’ reports as of 11:30 a.m. CST.
Contact:
Eileen Angelico
504-654-7840
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for America
U.S. Department of the Interior
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Last Updated:
09/06/2008,
01:16 PM
Central Time