The Oil Drum: Here Comes Rita (or Your Eighteenth Nervous Breakdown)

A note from our industry insider: We are starting evacuation tomorrow from the eastern Gulf. If storm follows the edge of the OCS, it will take it through areas already damaged by Katrina, and then into the western Gulf where most of the natural gas production is. If it stays a hundred or so miles offshore, then the northern edge will pound the platforms and rigs. The Gulf waters are shallow, and a few degrees warmer than normal right now – perfect to build strength if it is well organized entering the Gulf. Texas coastal temperatures are abnormally high right now, with no relief in sight this week. There are several platforms which are broken and unstable from Katrina already – these could be lost if Rita hits the previous Katrina track with any kind of strength. Hope it misses NOLA and doesn’t follow similar track – we’re hurting badly enough as it is.
More production numbers, maps, predictions, and models after the jump to The Oil Drum.