Business/economics

70% Oil, 56% Gas Production Shut In as Barry Makes Landfall as Tropical Storm

The Gulf of Mexico disturbance, Barry, made landfall today near Intracoastal City, Louisiana, and weakened to a tropical storm.

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The Gulf of Mexico disturbance, Barry, made landfall today near Intracoastal City, Louisiana, and weakened to a tropical storm, reported the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Based on data submitted as of 11:30 CDT today by Gulf of Mexico offshore operators, BSEE estimates that approximately 70% of the current oil production in the GOM has been shut in, or about 1.3 million BOPD. About 56% of the natural gas production, or about 1.5 million MMcf/D, has been shut in. Shut-in production information included in these reports is based on the amount of oil and gas the operator expected to produce that day.

Personnel have been evacuated from a total of 283 production platforms, or about 42% of the 669 manned platforms in the region. Personnel have been evacuated from 10 rigs (nondynamically positioned rigs), equivalent to 48% of the 21 rigs of this type currently operating in the Gulf. Six dynamically positioned (DP) rigs have moved off location out of the storm’s path as a precaution, representing 30% of the 20 DP rigs currently operating in the Gulf.

The NHC reported at 1:00 CDT that the maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph with higher gusts, and these winds were located over water to the southeast of the center. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center. Weakening is expected as Barry moves farther inland, and it is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression on Sunday.

Surge-related flooding and rainfall accumulations of 10 to 25 inches are forecast as the storm center is expected to move through southern Louisiana this afternoon, into central Louisiana tonight, and into northern Louisiana on Sunday.