Oil and gas fields offshore U.S. Gulf of Mexico come back online following Hurricane Helene

(WO) — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has activated its Hurricane Response Team and is monitoring offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico as they continue their response to Hurricane Helene.

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sep. 29, personnel have been evacuated from a total of three production platforms, 0.81% of the 371 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

No personnel have been evacuated from any of the five non-dynamically positioned (DP) rig(s), currently operating in the Gulf. Rigs can include several types of offshore drilling facilities including jackup rigs, platform rigs, all submersibles, and moored semisubmersibles.

A total of one DP rig moved off location out of the storm’s path as a precaution. This number represents 4.76% of the 21 DP rigs currently operating in the Gulf. DP rigs maintain their location while conducting well operations by using thrusters and propellers; these rigs are not moored to the seafloor, so they can move out of harm’s way in a relatively short time frame. Personnel remain on board and return to the original location once the storm has passed.

As part of the evacuation process, personnel activate the applicable shut-in procedure, which can frequently be accomplished from a remote location. This involves closing safety valves located below the surface of the ocean floor to prevent the release of oil or gas, effectively shutting in production from wells in the Gulf and protecting the marine and coastal environments. Shutting in oil and gas production is a standard procedure conducted by industry for safety and environmental reasons.

From operator reports, BSEE estimates that approximately 3.35% of the current oil production and 0.91% of the current natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico is shut-in.

Now that the storm has passed, facilities will be inspected. Once all standard checks have been completed, production from undamaged facilities will be brought back online immediately. Facilities sustaining damage may take longer to bring back online.