Tropical Storm Isaias Forces Shell, Chevron to Curb Gulf Production

(Credit: Shell)

Shell and Chevron said on Wednesday they were curtailing offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Storm Isaias approached the region.

Shell said it was evacuating all personnel and shutting in production at its Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Vito and Appomattox assets. The company added that it had already moved non-essential personnel from its Stones asset.

Separately, Chevron said it had initiated shut-in procedures for production at four Chevron-operated Gulf of Mexico facilities in preparation for the storm.

The US oil major added that some additional personnel were being transported onshore, while production at its other five Gulf of America, referring to the Gulf of Mexico, facilities remained at normal levels.

Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before slamming into the southern US coast early on Saturday, bringing heavy rains, storm surges, and possible tornadoes across several states, the National Hurricane Center said.

(Reuters - Reporting by Sumit Saha in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)