NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Energy companies have reoccupied
nearly 400 of the production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico that were
abandoned in advance of Hurricane Isaac, a federal agency said Saturday,
though offshore oil production still remains almost entirely shut down.
Oil
and gas workers began retaking the offshore sites Friday and federal
officials said that 377 of the 596 productions platforms have some
staffing on them, up from just 97.
Yet officials estimate that 94
percent of oil production, and about 65 percent of natural gas
production in the Gulf of Mexico, remains shut in in the aftermath of
the hurricane.
It will take a few days for production to be fully restored, according to energy companies with
operations in the gulf.
"Once
onsite inspections are complete and facilities deemed safe, they will
be restarted, and oil and natural gas production will be recommenced in
coming days," BP said in a news release. The company said initial aerial
inspections showed no significant damage.
The network of
platforms, pipelines and storage facilities is massive, however, and
exploration and production companies cannot recommence full operations
until the chain of energy infrastructure is reconnected.
"Apache
personnel are returning to the platforms and inspecting facilities,"
Bill Mintz, spokesman for Apache Corp., said in an email. "The process
of restoring production will take a number of days and will be impacted
by the pace of resumption of activities by the pipelines and processing
facilities operated by other companies."
The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said reports on offshore facilities indicated
mostly minor damage.
In
addition to production platforms, the bureau said, 19 of the Gulf’s 76
drilling rigs are still evacuated, down from 48 as the storm approached.
A
surge in gasoline prices accompanied Isaac, although the dramatic
increases came to an end Friday as the storm moved farther inland. The
national average price for gasoline inched up just 0.3 cents Friday to
$3.83 per gallon.
Pump prices for gasoline were on the rise even
before Isaac arrived. The average price for a gallon of gas rose about
40 cents from July 1 to mid-August because of refinery problems in the
Midwest and West Coast, and sharply higher crude oil prices.
Crude has traded between $94 and $97 per barrel for two weeks, after rising from a low near $77 in late
June.
On
Friday U.S benchmark crude rose $1.85 to end at $96.47 per barrel after
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear in a speech that the
central bank can do more to revive the U.S. economy. That would drive up
demand for energy.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.