What do oil rigs do during hurricanes
Hurricane Michael is expected to slam into Florida's panhandle on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 3 storm, which would make it the strongest storm to hit the mainland United States so far this year. But first, the hurricane will cut across the Gulf of Mexico—where almost a fifth of U. Nearly half of the nation's refining capacity sits along the Gulf coast. Oil and gas operators in the region began bracing for the storm on Monday, evacuating workers from platforms in the storm's path across the Gulf. At least 10 platforms were evacuated, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and five rigs were moved out harm's way. The evacuated platforms account for more than 19 percent of oil production in the Gulf, and roughly 11 percent of gas production.
Katrina and Oil Prices
Bob Old had just started flying for oil and gas companies when, in October , he guided his helicopter to a rig in the Gulf of Mexico to evacuate workers in advance of an approaching storm. But that storm rapidly strengthened into deadly Hurricane Juan, stranding Old and dozens of energy workers on the offshore platform for nine days as Juan stalled over the Gulf Coast, overturning rigs and boats off the coast of Louisiana and killing nine. Both Old and the oil and gas industry learned lessons from the experience, albeit at great costs.
As the Atlantic hurricane season enters its most active period during August and September, energy companies and the contractors that work for them are recalling the lessons of Juan and other past storms, employing better forecasting, better planning and earlier decision making to avoid the situation that Old and thousands of other workers sometimes found themselves in during the past 40 years. In addition to advancing technology that allows meteorologists and companies to better predict major storms and their likely paths, industry officials and emergency preparedness specialists also cite a cultural change that puts greater emphasis on safety over squeezing every last drop of oil from offshore wells before evacuating.
Shell then develops lists of non-essential personnel — such as engineers and construction and maintenance workers — who can be evacuated from the platform without affecting critical operations. Shell shuts down ancillary construction and maintenance work, and ensures food and other supplies are sufficient if some people remain on the platforms. Shell aims to begin evacuating workers at least three days before conditions start deteriorating, contracting with companies such as Petroleum Helicopters International and Bristow to have at least seven helicopters ready to deploy into the Gulf, with additional helicopters on standby.
Anywhere from 25 to people work on an offshore platform, depending on its size. During evacuations, flights essentially run from sunrise to sunset with each two-to-three person crews limited to 10 hours of flight time a day. Onshore, Shell helps set up shelters for its employees at locations such as at its training and conference center in Robert, La. Rig workers evacuate with minimal belongings. Shutting down the oil and gas wells also is a complicated procedure.
Offshore oil fields often comprise several wells. Each well must be treated with injection chemicals to regulate the internal temperatures and stabilize pressures so the well is safe to shut down.
Pumps are shut off and the blowout preventer is closed, but the choke valve is kept open to maintain some flow. And, unless storms are extremely severe, essential personnel — at least a quarter of the overall crew — may remain to keep production flowing nonstop. In the past, rigs were almost always moored in one place but, today, oil companies often employ drillships and deepwater floating platforms that can be piloted out of the path of approaching storms. They map out everything from staggered helicopter deploy schedules during an evacuation to the plans for securing their aviation facilities that risk flooding to the hotel rooms they would book for evacuating employees and their families.
The goal is to keep the employees of their customers safe, but they also need to prioritize the well being of their own employees and their helicopters. Dangerous weather, however, is not limited to named storms, and energy companies must be prepared for sudden, unexpected thunderstorms or squalls. Since , The Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference has counted 29 helicopter accidents in the Gulf, including seven fatal ones that killed 15 people.
Very few of the incidents were related to named storms. Most were caused by mechanical problems or issues with landing during difficult, but not the most severe, weather, according to the Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference. One of the worst incidents included a crash of a helicopter headed to a Shell platform caused by a large bird striking the cockpit.
Eight people were killed. Even just windy weather patterns in the Gulf should never be taken for granted, said Old, the helicopter pilot and executive. Nobody wants to get stuck offshore. Top of the News.
As the Atlantic hurricane season enters its most active period during August and When a threat arises, the first thing Shell does is establish a. Many people believe that they can't do anything to protect their privacy online, but that's not true. There actually are simple Continue Reading.
Bob Old had just started flying for oil and gas companies when, in October , he guided his helicopter to a rig in the Gulf of Mexico to evacuate workers in advance of an approaching storm. But that storm rapidly strengthened into deadly Hurricane Juan, stranding Old and dozens of energy workers on the offshore platform for nine days as Juan stalled over the Gulf Coast, overturning rigs and boats off the coast of Louisiana and killing nine. Both Old and the oil and gas industry learned lessons from the experience, albeit at great costs.
Major offshore oil and gas producers on Friday were evacuating non-essential staff from production platforms in the U. Gulf of Mexico due to the threat from Hurricane Dorian.
For most of the year, the Gulf of Mexico is a nice place to be. All things considered, if you insist on attaching spindly structures to the ocean floor to drill for a highly flammable substance, the Gulf of Mexico is one of the less inhospitable places to do so.
How Oil Rigs Make Standard Preparations for Hurricanes
In anticipation of Tropical Storm Barry, oil and gas companies have begun evacuating offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, a move that is contributing to a jump in oil prices. The U. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said 15 production platforms and four drilling rigs were evacuated Wednesday, according to a press release. Three other movable rigs were relocated out of the storm's path. Personnel will remain on board and the rig will return to the location once the storm has passed. Before operations can resume, a full inspection of all permanently-stationed rigs will be required.
Offshore Rigs Prepare for Hurricane in U.S. Gulf of Mexico
The last place you want to be when a hurricane comes in off the Gulf is on an offshore oil or gas rig. Unfortunately, unless the owner or operator of the rig comes to get you, you have nowhere to go. In hurricane force winds, the likelihood of injury, or even death, on a platform in the middle of the ocean can be substantial. As a result, many offshore oil and gas rig owners provide additional anchoring for their rigs during hurricane season. Even so, with the tools available to predict the weather, there is simply no excuse for injuries suffered on an offshore oil or gas rig because of a hurricane, other than the negligence or carelessness of the rig owner or operator. If you have been hurt on an offshore rig during a hurricane, let us help you pursue full and fair compensation for all losses. We take a no-nonsense approach, carefully investigating the facts and circumstances of your injury, and traveling to the scene of the accident, if necessary. We know from experience that oil and gas rig injury claims can be complicated.
Curious to know what happens with oil rigs during hurricanes?
Bob Old had just started flying for oil and gas companies when, in October , he guided his helicopter to a rig in the Gulf of Mexico to evacuate workers in advance of an approaching storm. But that storm rapidly strengthened into deadly Hurricane Juan, stranding Old and dozens of energy workers on the offshore platform for nine days as Juan stalled over the Gulf Coast, overturning rigs and boats off the coast of Louisiana and killing nine.
How Will Hurricane Michael Affect Oil Operations in the Gulf?
By The Maritime Executive. By The Maritime Executive A storm system brewing over the U. A tropical storm watch and a storm surge watch have already been issued for parts of the Louisiana coast, and the areas covered will likely expand by tonight. In addition to winds of mph and rising waters from storm surge, exceptionally heavy rain is expected throughout the central Gulf Coast through early next week, NHC warned. Inland flooding is a strong possibility, as the Mississippi River system is already running hifh. This broad area of thunderstorms in the northern Gulf is what will potentially become Barry The storm will pass through the center of America's offshore oil and gas industry, and most oil majors - including Chevron, BP, BHP, Shell and Anadarko - have announced plans to evacuate or make staffing adjustments on fixed platforms in the affected area. More shut-ins are expected as the storm forecast firms up and the system's trajectory and strength are better known. About half of America's refining capacity is clustered on the Gulf Coast, along with most of its LNG export capacity, raising the prospect of disruption for petroleum product and gas shipping schedules due to foul weather. During Hurricane Harvey, floodwaters washed tons of silt and debris into the Houston Ship Channel, leading to shoaling and temporary closures. Israel's State Comptroller has released its investigative report into the import of live animals, indicating that in many cases the Ministry of Agriculture did not sanction importers or shipowners that did not meet the conditions required for livestock imports. Consequently, the industry has had cases of poor animal welfare and disease outbreaks amongst people and livestock. It reviews alleged disregard for Israel's veterinary requirements by
When a Hurricane Hits an Offshore Oil Platform
Fossil Fuels. United States. Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage to U. He was interviewed by Esther Pan, cfr. First, obviously, Katrina had a major impact on the U. Both offshore Gulf of Mexico crude and natural-gas production have been hit very hard. The refining sector in the Gulf Coast, particularly in Louisiana, has had a major impact, and pipelines in the Louisiana offshore oil-port loop have all been impacted. People need to keep in mind that this is an unprecedented impact on our industry. Also, more importantly, it hits us very personally.
