Chevron shuts Australian oil fields due to cyclone

SYDNEY, Dec 29 (Reuters) – Oil major Chevron said on Saturday it has shut down operations at two of its oil fields off northwest Australia due to an approaching cyclone.

A Chevron spokesman said the evacuation of non-essential personnel was well-advanced and operations on Barrow and Thevenard Islands were being shut. The fields have a combined production of about 8,000 barrels per day.


Tropical cyclone Melanie, a category two storm with winds of up to 130 kph (80 mph), was nearing Australia’s remote northwest coast, prompting meteorologists to issue cyclone warnings for coastal regions on Saturday.

Melanie is the first storm of the November-to-April season to form in Australia’s ‘cyclone alley’, which is also home to the world’s biggest iron ore deposits and big oil and gas fields. The area sees about five storms each season.