Oil companies have evacuated workers off the coast of Texas
Tropical Storm Don forced several energy companies to evacuate workers as a precautionary measure. Royal Dutch Shell evacuated about 70 non-essential personnel from production and drilling operations in the southwest of the Gulf.
Apache Corp and Anadarko Petroleum also evacuated workers in the western Gulf according to Air Worldwide. While in the central Gulf BHP Billiton and BP evacuated workers from platforms.
Production has not stopped and tropical storm Don’s size and intensity suggest that it should not cause serious damage. Don’s path will avoid the largest concentrations of oil platforms that lie south of New Orleans.
Don is not expected to bring damaging winds when it makes landfall. Reuters reported that “Many rain-starved Texans are looking forward to the arrival of the tropical storm.”
