Inspenet, August 31, 2023.
The American oil company Chevron announced last Tuesday that it has evacuated its personnel from three oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico due to the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. At the same time, Kinder Morgan has plans to shut down an oil pipeline as a precaution.
Hurricane Idalia has strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico as it heads toward the Florida coast. This has led to the evacuation of low-lying coastal areas that are expected to be prone to flooding when the storm hits.
The evacuated oil platforms
Chevron, the third largest oil producer in the Gulf of Mexico, has reported that it has evacuated its non-essential personnel from the Blind Faith and Petronius platforms. Also, all workers have left the Genesis platform.
The Blind Faith and Petronius platforms are located in the center of the Gulf of Mexico, about 257 kilometers southeast of New Orleans.
Despite the evacuations, oil and gas production at Chevron-operated Gulf of Mexico facilities continues. However, the closure of the Genesis platform, which is located approximately 241 kilometers southwest of New Orleans, is taking place, according to a company spokesperson.
Simultaneously, Kinder Morgan (KMI.N) closed its facilities in Port Manatee, Port Sutton and Tampaplex. These terminals are dedicated to the handling of raw materials such as fertilizers, scrap metal, petroleum coke and coal.
In addition, the company announced its intention to shut down its refining terminal in Tampa, as well as its pipeline network in Central Florida, both scheduled for closures later in the day.
“Our Orlando refined products facility remains operational at this time, but we are closely monitoring the progress of the storm to prepare for any impact,” Kinder Morgan said.
Kinder Morgan’s CFPL is a pipeline system in the Central Florida region spanning a distance of 176 kilometers. This is responsible for transporting gasoline and denatured ethanol phases. In addition, it has an additional 136-kilometer pipeline dedicated to the transfer of diesel and aviation fuel, as detailed on the company’s website.