hurricanes

Forecast sees 12% boost in the region’s crude production by the end of 2022.

Forecasters are predicting the sixth ‘above-average’ Atlantic storm season in a row.

More than half of the oil and gas production in the region is shut in.

Hurricane Zeta is intensifying as it approaches the US Gulf of Mexico coast of southeastern Louisiana, where it is expected to make landfall around 4 p.m. CST today. View a video of Zeta posted by the US Air Reserve Hurricane Hunters.

Evacuations in the GOM began on Monday, but so far nearly 50% of current oil production and 55% of natural gas production in the region is shut-in due to Tropical Storm Zeta.

Forty-four percent of oil production and 30% of natural gas production remain shut in as operators return workers to offshore platforms. Production from undamaged facilities are being brought back online once all standard checks are completed. Facilities with damage may take longer to bring back up.

Hurricane Delta leads to shut-ins of 92% oil and 60% gas production in GOM as landfall is expected today.

GOM production shut-ins increased to 80% of the oil and 49% of natural gas. Hurricane Delta weakened from a category 4 storm to a category 2 storm on Wednesday and is expected reach the US Gulf later in the week.

Hurricane Delta is expected to hit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday and reach the US Gulf later in the week. Twenty-nine percent of the current oil production and 9% of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico is shut in.

Personnel are returning to platforms in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Sally was downgraded to a tropical depression late Wednesday, but the threat of another major hurricane remains as a tropical storm may form in the Gulf of Mexico today.