Houston — Hurricane Isaias Shuts Down Majority of Gulf Oil Output

Hurricane Isaias has forced the shutdown of nearly two-thirds of Gulf of Mexico oil production and 57% of natural gas production as of noon Thursday, according to the U.S. Marine Minerals Administration, cited by NBC News. The storm is expected to make landfall along the northeastern Gulf shore late Friday or early Saturday.

How much Gulf production is shut down?

Approximately half of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico had been suspended as of Thursday afternoon, NBC News reported, citing a photo caption from The Associated Press. The federal tally of nearly two-thirds of oil output and 57% of natural gas output reflects figures reported as of noon that day. Hurricanes routinely trigger these shutdowns, and oil companies operate established evacuation protocols for the region, according to the outlet.

Which companies have shut down platforms?

Chevron said it shut down four of its Gulf assets while production at five other facilities continued at normal levels, NBC News reported. Shell said it halted production at five sites. Neither company detailed a timeline for restarting operations in the material reviewed.

Why are gas prices already a concern?

U.S. gasoline prices averaged $4.36 a gallon, down slightly from a week earlier but up 21 cents over the past month, according to NBC News. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates LLC, said in a note Wednesday that the storm's timing compounds existing strain. "This could not have come at a worse time as gasoline and diesel inventories are quite low," Lipow wrote, as quoted by NBC News.

Separately, Brent crude oil prices jumped nearly 5% in early Thursday trading amid reports that President Donald Trump was weighing renewed strikes against Iran, NBC News reported. HTT News has tracked that price move alongside the storm threat, noting that the combination of Middle East tension and Gulf shutdowns is pushing benchmark crude higher the same week pump prices were already elevated.

What is driving the broader supply pressure?

The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has spread into a wider regional conflict that continues to disrupt energy supplies, according to NBC News. That backdrop, combined with the Gulf shutdowns, has left gasoline and diesel inventories already thin heading into the storm, per Lipow's note.

Data Box

• Gulf oil production shut in: roughly half to nearly two-thirds, depending on measurement time, per federal data cited by NBC News
• Gulf natural gas production shut in: 57% as of noon Thursday
• U.S. average gasoline price: $4.36 a gallon, up 21 cents over the past month
• Brent crude: up nearly 5% in early Thursday trading

Glossary

Shut-in: Industry term for voluntarily halting oil or gas production at a well or platform, typically ahead of severe weather, to protect personnel and equipment.

Brent crude: The global benchmark price for oil, used to set prices for roughly two-thirds of the world's crude contracts.

Isaias is forecast to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday. Restart timelines for shut-in Gulf platforms will depend on storm track and damage assessments once personnel can return, per the companies' public statements cited by NBC News.