US Gulf production should be in 'good shape' within month: MMS

Washington (Platts)--30Sep2005

Oil and natural gas production in the US Gulf of Mexico could be "in
fairly good shape" within a month, a senior Minerals Management Service said
Friday.
     MMS Associate Director Thomas Readinger told Platts following an Energy
Bar Assn conference in Washington that with many of the necessary underwater
inspections and pipeline tests underway following the twin blows of Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita, much of the production that has been off-line for more than
a month could be restored in as much time. 
     But Readinger cautioned that it could be months longer before some
facilities, such as ChevronTexaco's Mars platform, are brought back on-line.  
     As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 99% of the daily oil production, and 80%
of the daily gas production, in the Gulf was shut in, according to MMS data.  
    The agency has yet to release an assessment of the damage caused by Rita
to offshore facilities in the Gulf.
                                    ---Matt Spangler, matt_spangler@platts.com

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