The NewsRoom
Release: #3876
Date: September 23, 2008
Hurricane
Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update
September 23, 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 203 production platforms, equivalent to 29.3 % 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.
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 4 rigs are evacuated; this is equivalent to 3.5 % 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 66.8 % 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 61.6 % 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 |
16 |
61 |
60 |
36 |
30 |
203 |
Rigs
Evacuated |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
Oil, BOPD
Shut-in |
28,457 |
24,747 |
125,458 |
310,399 |
379,593 |
868,654 |
Gas,
MMCF/D
Shut-in |
537 |
685 |
969 |
800 |
1,569 |
4,560 |
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
Privacy |
Disclaimers |
Accessibility |
Topic Index | FOIA
Last Updated:
10/27/2008,
07:28 AM
Central Time
|