34 Offshore Platforms in GOM Still Shut-In after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

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.

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT today, personnel are evacuated from a total of 34 production platforms, equivalent to 4.9% of the 694 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. There are no longer any evacuated rigs in the Gulf.


From the operators’ reports, it is estimated that approximately 11.0% 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 15.0% 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.

MMS