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US oil companies evacuate staff, cut drilling ahead of Storm Francine

U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil and gas producers were evacuating staff and suppressing drilling to get ready for Hurricane Francine on Monday as it churned through the energy region on a path to bring high winds and drenching rains to the U.S. midSouth.

Francine

is likely to bring dangerous storm surge to the upper Texas and Louisiana coasts and hurricane-force winds to Southern Louisiana this week. Homeowners of Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana on Monday were supplied with sandbags and other materials to combat the expected storm rise, officials stated.

Exxon Mobil said it shut-in output and evacuated staff from its Hoover overseas production platform. Shell stated it was pausing drilling operations at its Perdido and Whale offshore platforms on Monday.

Chevron was focused on the security of its labor force, integrity of its facilities and securing the environment, the business said. BP was not available for instant remark. Occidental Petroleum stated it was prepared to execute storm plans as proper.

The storm is moving through the U.S. Gulf of Mexico waters and anticipated to end up being the 4th cyclone of the Atlantic season by

Wednesday

. The hurricane season runs to Nov. 30.

The U.S. Coast Guard has enforced constraints for vessel navigation in some Texas ports, consisting of the port of Corpus Christi. The ports of Freeport and Galveston, Texas, and New Orleans, were open to vessel traffic on Monday.

The storm's path would put U.S. oil and gas producing facilities and melted gas (LNG) export plants at risk. U.S. Gulf of Mexico federal offshore waters represent about 15% of total U.S. crude oil and 2% of gas production.

Freeport LNG, which operates the nation's second-largest LNG export plant, said it had actually started storm preparations without supplying details. Port of Freeport, Texas, said it was open to industrial traffic, however vessels need to report movements.

Texas authorities contacted locals to prepare for tropical storm conditions along its coast.

A severe storm system with the possible to bring flash flooding dangers and heavy rain is expected to affect the Gulf Coast today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham stated.

(source: Reuters)