Exxon Mobil, BP Pull Staff From GoM Ahead Of Hurricane Michael

Oil companies, including BP Plc (NYSE: BP) and Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), on Oct. 8 began evacuating personnel from U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM) oil and gas production platforms as Hurricane Michael intensified on its way to becoming a major hurricane this week.

The National Hurricane Center upgraded the storm on Oct. 8 and forecast it would become at least a Category 3 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale before making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Category 3 storms have sustained winds of 111 to 129 miles (178 to 208 km) per hour.

BP said it shut in production at four production platforms and drilling rigs are taking steps to withstand the storm. The platforms evacuating personnel and shutting in production include BP’s Atlantis, Mad Dog, Na Kika and Thunder Horse facilities, the company said.