Updated: BSEE: 16.47% of GoM oil production shut-in

Jun 21, 2017

Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operators have evacuated workers and secured offshore facilities to prepare for the impact of Tropical Storm Cindy.

Source: Accuweather

As a result of these precautionary measures, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) reported that as of 11:30 CDT today (22 June), approximately 16.47% of the current oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in. It is also estimated that approximately 0.01% of the natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in. The production percentages are calculated using information submitted by offshore operators in daily reports.

BSEE reported that personnel have been evacuated from a total of 39 production platforms, or 5.29% of the 737 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Personnel also have been pulled from one non-dynamically positioned (DP) rig, equivalent to 6.67% of the 15 rigs of this type currently operating in the Gulf. None of the 17 dynamically positioned rigs operating in the Gulf have been moved off location as a storm precaution.

The BSEE survey is based on reports by 29 companies.

BP has completed steps to secure its facilities and non-essential personnel have been evacuated from BP’s platform, company spokesperson Jason Ryan said in a statement. Adding that BP’s severe weather assessment team is in constant communication with BP’s offshore teams, Ryan said the company’s top priority is the safety of all offshore personnel and protection the environment.

“We remain prepared to respond as conditions warrant and as part of BP’s year-round efforts to plan, train and prepare for the 2017 hurricane season,” Ryan stated.

Royal Dutch Shell has suspended some offshore well operations due to the storm, but its Gulf of Mexico production remains unaffected at this time.The company also suspended offshore flights from heliports in southern Louisiana to offshore facilities as part of its precautionary measures against the storm. Personnel will remain at Shell’s offshore facilities.

“Shell’s priorities are the safety of personnel and minimizing impacts to the environment and operations,” the company said in a 20 June press release. “All of our floating deepwater production hubs are designed to safely withstand hurricane force conditions.”

A BHP Billiton spokesperson told OE that the company did not expect regional storm conditions to require an evacuation of workers from its Gulf facilities. As a precaution, the company did suspend non-essential operations on and evacuated non-essential personnel from the Transocean drillship Invictus Deepwater.

Earlier this week, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. announced it had evacuated non-essential personnel from its Gulf-operated facilities due to Tropical Storm Cindy.