A Quarter Of Gulf Oil And Gas Production Offline Ahead Of Hurricane Francine

Many Gulf Coast energy facilities have evacuated or closed ahead of Hurricane Francine.

The Category 1 hurricane is expected to slam into the coast of Louisiana.

The storm was about 210 miles Southwest of New Orleans at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center says the storm has maximum sustained winds of 90 mph and moving at 13 mph.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, including metropolitan New Orleans.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Louisiana coast east of Sabine Pass to Vermillion/Cameron Line, east of Grand Isle to the Alabama/Florida border and Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, including metropolitan New Orleans.

A Coastal Flood Warning is posted for the Alabama coast.

Hurricane Francine Timing

The storm is expected to pick up speed and make landfall in Louisiana Wednesday afternoon or evening.

After landfall, the center is expected to cross southeastern Louisiana tonight and then move northward across Mississippi on Thursday and Thursday night.

An oil platform north of the center reported sustained winds of 87 mph and a peak gust of 105 mph on Wednesday morning.

Energy personnel have been evacuated from 130 oil and gas production platforms, 35% of the 371 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Some energy facilities along the coast have also been evacuated.

Nearly 24% of crude production and 27% of natural gas output in the Gulf of Mexico were offline according to the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

After the storm has passed, facilities will be inspected. Once all standard checks have been completed, production from undamaged facilities will be brought back online immediately. Facilities sustaining damage may take longer to bring back online.