Divers Work the Gulf Floor to Undo What Hurricanes Did

ABOARD M.S.V. BOTNICA, in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana, Feb. 22

The shortages, amounting to 6 percent of the country’s domestic production, have worsened a global picture of razor-thin margins of supply, playing a central part in keeping oil prices around $60 a barrel.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed or damaged 167 offshore platforms and 183 pipelines, shut down production for weeks and pushed prices to their highest levels since the fall of the shah of Iran led to the oil shock of the early 1980’s. Nineteen movable well-drilling rigs snapped from their moorings and drifted, some as far as 60 miles.

NY Times