GOM Offshore Ops Returning to Normal

Oil and natural gas production levels and the number of workers on offshore rigs and production facilities were close to or at normal levels today as offshore operations resumed after the threat of Tropical Depression No. 10 passed late last week. Workers remained evacuated from three production platforms, or 0.4 percent of the 834 manned platforms in the U.S. Gulf. All personnel evacuated from rigs have been redeployed to the 89 rigs operating in the Gulf. Approximately 19.3 percent of U.S. Gulf oil production remains shut-in, as does 8.8 percent of U.S. Gulf gas production. Estimated U.S. Gulf oil production as of April 2007 totaled 1.3 million b/d, while gas production totaled 7.7 Bcf/d at that time. [Source: http://www.energycurrent.com/index.php?print=5461]