Hurricane Ian Shuts 157,706 BPD of Oil Output in U.S. Gulf of Mexico

About 157,706 barrels, or 9%, of oil production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico were shut on Wednesday by Hurricane Ian, said offshore regulator Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

Hurricane Ian was lashing Florida's Gulf Coast with powerful winds and drenching rain, but the Category 5 storm steered clear of the Gulf's richest oil production areas. 

A total of 16 oil and gas production platforms were evacuated by Ian on Wednesday, compared to 14 the day before, the regulator said.

Some 128 million cubic feet, or 6%, of gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico was also shut, according to the regulator. 

(Reuters - Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar; Editing by Gary McWilliams)