Offshore energy firms evacuate as Hurricane Delta approaches

Oil and gas workers evacuated from offshore production facilities as Hurricane Delta made its way towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil producers had halted 57 of its production facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday

Oil companies have repeatedly evacuated and returned its workers from and to the region during the storm season, delaying production of over 540,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil and 232 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. The region accounts for about 17% of U.S. oil output.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has also added complications to the departures and returns, with some workers required to be quarantined onshore and be tested for the virus before returning.