The Oil Drum

http://www.mms.gov/ooc/press/2007/press0921.htm

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CST today, personnel have been evacuated from a total of 77 production platforms, equivalent to 9.2 % of the 834 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Production platforms are the structures located offshore from which oil and natural gas are produced. These structures remain in the same location throughout a project’s duration unlike drilling rigs which typically move from location to location.

Personnel from 17 rigs have also been evacuated; this is equivalent to 19.1 % of the 89 rigs currently operating in the Gulf. Rigs can include several types of self-contained offshore drilling facilities including jackups, submersibles and semisubmersibles.

From the operators’ reports, it is estimated that approximately 62.7 % of the oil production in the Gulf has been shut-in. Estimated oil production from the Gulf of Mexico as of April 2007 was 1.3 million barrels of oil per day. It is also estimated that approximately 30.8 % of the natural gas production in the Gulf has been shut-in. Estimated natural gas production from the Gulf of Mexico as of April 2007 was 7.7 billion cubic of gas per day.