Producers begin moving nonessential crews from US Gulf platforms as tropical depression gains steam

Upstream producers said Aug. 26 they have have begun moving nonessential crews from oil and gas platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Depression Nine, which could strengthen into a hurricane within two days, approached Gulf waters.

In addition, Shell said it has shut in production at its Stones field as it prepares to detach the production vessel from its buoy and move it to a safer location.

Chevron was moving nonessential crews from its "operated facilities," the company said in a statement although it added production at the installations remained at normal levels.

"At our onshore locations, we are following our storm preparedness procedures and are paying close attention to the forecast and track of the system," Chevron said in a statement.

Although Chevron did not specifically name the platforms from which it is evacuating crews, the company has several major fields that could be in or near the storm's projected path. These include Tahiti, Blind Faith, Jack/St. Malo and Big Foot. Chevron is also developing the Anchor project, which is also potentially in the storm's path.

Murphy Oil, which has several platforms in the Central Gulf region, is making arrangements to evacuate nonessential personnel from them, spokeswoman Megan Larson said, but declined specifics.

Shell has also begun evacuating nonessential personnel from its US Gulf assets, "as a precautionary measure," the company said in a statement.

DISCONNECTABLE FPSO

"In addition, the FPSO Turritella is preparing to disconnect and commence sail-away to safer waters," Shell said. Turritella is the FPSO (floating, production, storage and offloading) vessel associated with its Stones field in the southern US Gulf.

The FPSO also features a turret into which fits a disconnectable buoy carrying mooring lines and risers from the well system. The turret and buoy design allows the vessel to turn with the wind during normal weather conditions.

If a heavy storm or hurricane approaches, the vessel is able to disconnect from the buoy and sail to safer waters. The Stones project represents the first use of a disconnectable buoy configured with steel lazy wave risers to unlock oil resources in ultra-deep waters.

"Production on Stones is now shut-in," Shell spokeswoman Cynthia Babski said late afternoon on Aug. 26.

Stones' reservoir depth is around 26,500 feet below sea level, and 17,000 feet below the mud line.

BHP has also taken measures to evacuate its Shenzi platform, "starting with nonessential personnel," spokeswoman Judy Dane said.

"We plan to fully evacuate and shut in production by tomorrow (Aug. 27)," Dane said.

The tropical depression, which should become a tropical storm later Aug. 26, is currently sited about 95 miles southwest of Jamaica and roughly 165 miles southeast of Grand Cayman, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

It was moving northwest at about13 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. That track should continue for the next few days, NHC said.

The storm should pass over the Cayman Islands overnight Aug. 26-27 and move over the southeastern and Central US Gulf of Mexico later Aug. 27 and Aug. 28, NHC said. The agency forecasts it to become a hurricane early Aug. 28.

WILL STRIKE SHORE AS A HURRICANE

The storm should approach the northern US Gulf coast on Aug. 29, and strike the central Louisiana coast as a hurricane early Aug 30, NHC's website map showed.

The latest track of the storm forecasts it to travel over all of Louisiana and a small portion of southeastern Texas, with potentially three US Gulf Coast LNG export facilities in its path.

There were no immediate reports of evacuations or planned shut-ins at any of the terminals.

Freeport LNG, south of Houston, was fully operational Aug. 26 and expected to maintain that level, spokeswoman Heather Browne said. The operator was "closely monitoring the forecast track" and would initiate its hurricane response plan necessary, she said.

Cameron LNG also was monitoring the storm track and would adjust operations at the southwest Louisiana facility if necessary, spokeswoman Anya McInnis said.

At the third facility - Cheniere's Sabine Pass, also in southwest Louisiana - officials were expecting the storm to pass east of the facility, suggesting that impacts to the terminal would be minimal, spokeswoman Jenna Palfrey said. The operator was "prepared to respond should conditions change to keep our people and facilitbv cxy safe," she said.