Inspections and tests keep much natural gas, oil from flowing

Offshore oil and gas operators continued restaffing their installations Friday in the wake of shutdowns for hurricanes Gustav and Ike, but production startup was slowed by needed inspections and testing of subsea pipelines that bring resources to shore.

The federal government said nearly 90 percent of oil and more than 75 percent of natural gas production remained off line Friday, with companies saying some installations could resume production as pipelines and other infrastructure permit.

Eileen Angelico, spokeswoman for the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service, said natural gas pipelines retain pressure when shut down, so companies can detect problems before production begins. But oil pipelines need some production running to induce pressure to allow such testing.

“It’s a slow process,” she said.

Houston Chronicle