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Ike Fears Affecting Oil Production

By The Associated Press

Efforts to bring oil and gas production back
online in the Gulf of Mexico slowed as Hurricane Ike
barrels toward the nation's energy complex. Ike Fears Affecting Oil Production

Published: Mon, September 08, 2008 - 8:50 am Last Updated: Mon, September 08, 2008 - 8:52 am

NEW YORK (AP) - Efforts to bring oil and gas production back
online in the Gulf of Mexico slowed Sunday as Hurricane Ike
barreled toward the nation's energy complex, likely to be the
second hurricane to slam into the Gulf in as many weeks.
Royal Dutch Shell said it would keep staffing at its offshore
installations to a minimum as it monitors the storm, which was
described as "extremely dangerous" by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
Other producers were also watching Ike, which was about 90 miles
northeast of Cuba and traveling fast. The storm could strike the
U.S. coast by midweek.
According to the latest storm track, the hurricane could strike
any where from Florida to Texas.
The U.S. Minerals Management Service says more than a quarter of
the personnel from the 717 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico
have been evacuated, and 10 of the 121 Gulf rigs have had staff
removed.
Oil and gas producers have been sending workers back to
platforms and rigs for the past several days in the wake of
Hurricane Gustav, which largely spared the nation's energy complex.
Power shortages have continued to hamper the restart of some
refineries on the Gulf.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)