The NewsRoom
Release: #3875
Date: September 22, 2008
Hurricane Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity
Statistics Update –
September 22, 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.
Based
on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT
today, personnel are evacuated from a total of 225 production
platforms, equivalent to 31.4 % 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 7 rigs have also been evacuated; this is equivalent to
5.8 % 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 76.6 % 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 65.5 % 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 |
22 |
65 |
71 |
38 |
29 |
225 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
42,418 |
30,152 |
127,743 |
410,130 |
385,241 |
995,684 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
696 |
708 |
968 |
906 |
1,571 |
4,849 |
This survey information is
reflective of 65 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
Privacy |
Disclaimers |
Accessibility |
Topic Index | FOIA
Last Updated:
10/27/2008,
07:26 AM
Central Time
|