The NewsRoom
Release: #3892
Date: October 3, 2008
Hurricane
Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update – October 3, 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 116 production platforms, equivalent to 16.7
% 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.
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 48.2 % 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 44.6 % 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 |
7 |
31 |
44 |
18 |
16 |
116 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
17,289 |
18,181 |
137,951 |
292,542 |
160,082 |
626,045 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
517 |
552 |
825 |
769 |
640 |
3,303 |
This survey information is
reflective of 63 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:
10/03/2008,
11:49 AM
Central Time
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