Oil and Gas Industry Battens Down the Hatches for 2008 Hurricane Season

June 1 marked the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, a dangerous, high-risk five-month stretch for any company operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane preparedness is essential to the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico, a fact underscored by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which in 2005 caused widespread destruction throughout the region and seriously threatened oil production. Across the industry, preparedness is the watchword.


This is especially true given that the weather experts agree that the 2008 season will be one of normal or above normal hurricane activity, a warning underscored by the early arrival of Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the season, on May 31. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cautions that there is a 65% probability of an above-average season, with a 25% possibility of a near-normal season. Therefore, there is a 90% probability that the season will be at least of near-normal hurricane activity. A typical season has 11 named storms, of which six are hurricanes. The 2008 study indicates a 60 to 70% chance of 12 to 16 named storms, including six to nine hurricanes, of which two to five are severe (class 3, 4 or 5).

Colorado State University’s prestigious hurricane research department estimates that 2008 will have 15 named storms and eight hurricanes, of which four are expected to be severe.

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