The NewsRoom
Release: #3900
Date: October 9, 2008
Hurricane
Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update – October 9, 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 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 85 production platforms, equivalent to
12.3 % 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.
There are no longer any evacuated rigs 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 43.4
% 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 38.6
% 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. Beginning the week of
October 13, 2008, the Activity Statistics Update will be issued on
Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week.
Districts |
Lake
Jackson |
Lake
Charles |
Lafayette |
Houma |
New
Orleans |
Total |
Platforms
Evacuated |
4 |
24 |
33 |
15 |
9 |
85 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
9,263 |
18,590 |
127,747 |
262,041 |
146,339 |
563,980 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
439 |
483 |
794 |
698 |
439 |
2,853 |
This
survey information is reflective of 62 companies’ reports as of
11:30 a.m. CST. Beginning the week of October 13, 2008, the Activity
Statistics Update will be issued on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each
week.
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:
10/27/2008,
07:00 AM
Central Time
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