ROYAL Dutch Shell Plc expects strengthening Tropical Storm Hanna to have minimal impact on its drilling operations in the US-regulated Gulf of Mexico as it moves to the south Texas coast, the company said in a statement today.
The company’s oil production has not been affected so far, Shell said.
Hanna is strengthening and expected to come ashore about 80km south of Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of at least 121km per hour by tonight.
Other energy companies said there have been no evacuations of workers or shutdowns of production from their offshore platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico because of Hanna.
“The tropical storm has had no impact on Murphy Oil’s Gulf of Mexico operations given its weakness and location in comparison to our assets,” said Murphy Oil spokeswoman Megan Larson.
BP spokesman Jason Ryan said Hanna was west of the company’s offshore production south of Mississippi and Louisiana.
“No, we’re not taking any action because it’s well west of our production,” Ryan said.
Chevron spokeswoman Veronica Flores-Paniagua said Hanna has not impacted the company’s offshore operations.
Corpus Christi is home to three refineries.
Sources familiar with Citgo Petroleum Corp’s plans said the company intends to keep its 167,500 barrel-per-day refinery in Corpus Christi operating as the storm passes to the south.
Representatives of Valero Energy Corp and Koch Industries’ Flint Hills Resources did not reply to questions about the status of their refineries in Corpus Christi. – July 25, 2020, Reuters
