The NewsRoom
Release: #3887
Date: September 29, 2008
Hurricane Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity
Statistics Update –
September 29, 2008:
Minerals Management Service Monitors
Activities for Both Storms Through its Continuity of Operations Plan
NEW ORLEANS —
Offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico
are reboarding platforms and rigs and restoring production following
both Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike. The Minerals Management
Service is monitoring activities for both hurricanes through its
Continuity of Operations Plan team. This team will be activated until
operations return to normal.
MMS has recalculated the number of
manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico since 23 manned platforms have
been confirmed destroyed from Hurricane Ike. The new figure of 694
manned platforms was used to calculate today’s percentage of manned
platforms evacuated. Based on data from offshore operator reports
submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT today, personnel are evacuated from a
total of 111 production platforms, equivalent to 16.0 % of the 694
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.
The
total number of rigs currently operating in the Gulf of Mexico has
been recalculated to allow for the number of rigs destroyed or
severely damaged as a result of Hurricane Ike. The recalculated
figure is 116 rigs. This number was used in calculating today’s
percentage of rigs evacuated. Personnel from 1 rig are evacuated;
this is equivalent to 0.9% of the 116 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 48.0 % of the oil production in the Gulf
is shut-in. As of June 2008, estimated oil production from the Gulf
of Mexico is 1.3 million barrels of oil per day. It is also estimated
that approximately 47.4 % of the natural gas production in the Gulf is
shut-in. As of June 2008, estimated natural gas production from the
Gulf of Mexico was 7.0 billion cubic feet of gas per day. Since that
time, gas production from the Independence Hub facility has increased
and current gas production from the Gulf is estimated at 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. CDT each day until
these statistics are no longer significant.
Districts
|
Lake
Jackson |
Lake
Charles |
Lafayette |
Houma |
New
Orleans |
Total |
Platforms
Evacuated |
6 |
29 |
45 |
20 |
11 |
111 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
10,750 |
10,737 |
102,061 |
224,998 |
275,243 |
623,789 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
382 |
533 |
732 |
700 |
1,162 |
3,509 |
This survey
information is reflective of 49 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:
09/29/2008,
12:40 PM
Central Time
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