NorthAmOil: Hurricane Francine shuts in 39% of oil production in US Gulf of Mexico

Hurricane Francine made landfall on the afternoon of September 11 in central Louisiana with winds of up to 92 mph (148 km/h). A life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and heavy rains continued across portions of southern Louisiana, said the US Hurricane Centre.

As of the morning of September 11, as the storm neared the coastline, 39% of oil production in the US Gulf of Mexico was shut in and 49% of natural gas production, according to multiple reports. Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana in the Parish of Terrebonne, about 48 km south-southwest of Morgan City, as a Category 2 hurricane at 5 pm local time.

Companies pulled crews out of Francine's path. Staff were evacuated from 171 production platforms, said the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. That is around about 46% of all manned platforms in the region, said Hart Energy. Three non-dynamically positioned rigs, moored to the seabed, were evacuated. Meanwhile four dynamically positioned rigs were moved out of the hurricane’s path, said Hart Energy.