“萨利”来袭 生产商撤离墨西哥湾海上油气平台

据路透社9月13日休斯顿报道，在佛罗里达州海岸酝酿的热带风暴预计将加强为飓风，并威胁到主要产油地区，美国墨西哥湾石油生产商周六撤离了海上设施。

雪佛龙公司(Chevron Corp .)和墨菲石油公司(Murphy Oil Corp .)周六开始撤离海上油气平台的工人。荷兰皇家壳牌(Royal Dutch Shell)、必和必拓(BHP)、英国石油(BP)和赫斯集团(Hess Corp)表示，它们正在监测这场风暴，并准备在必要时采取行动。

热带风暴“萨利”一夜之间穿过佛罗里达州顶端，并进入墨西哥湾东部。美国国家飓风中心的最新预报称，下周登陆前，其最大持续风速将达到每小时80英里(129公里/小时)。

一位女发言人称，雪佛龙已开始撤离其Blind Faith和Petronius平台的所有员工，并启动了关闭程序，而其其他海上平台的生产未受影响。

墨菲石油公司(Murphy Oil)的一位女发言人称，该公司正准备从其最东边的设施撤离非必要人员，并监测风暴可能对其他财产造成的影响。

美国墨西哥湾海上石油产量约占美国原油产量的17%，占美国天然气总产量的5%。上月，由于飓风劳拉肆虐墨西哥湾，多达150万桶/日的石油产量被停产。

据预报，“萨利”将在未来几天内加强，并向路易斯安那州东南部和阿拉巴马州之间的地区进发。

若 "萨利 "成为飓风，它将是不到一个月内第二场袭击美国墨西哥湾沿岸的飓风。飓风 "劳拉 "以每小时150英里的风速袭击了路易斯安那州，沿海城镇被夷为平地，两座炼油厂停工数周。

沈韩晔 摘译自 路透社

原文如下：

Oil producers evacuate U.S. Gulf of Mexico platforms as storm brews

U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil producers on Saturday evacuated offshore facilities as a tropical storm brewing off the Florida coast was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane and threaten the prime oil region.

Chevron Corp and Murphy Oil Corp on Saturday started removing workers from offshore oil and gas platforms. Royal Dutch Shell, BHP, BP and Hess Corp said they were monitoring the storm and prepared to take action if needed.

Tropical storm Sally crossed the tip of Florida overnight and moved into the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The latest forecast by the National Hurricane Center calls for its maximum sustained winds to reach 80 miles per hour (129 kph) ahead of landfall next week.

Chevron has begun evacuating all staff from its Blind Faith and Petronius platforms and initiated shut-in procedures, a spokeswoman said, while production at its other offshore platforms was unaffected.

Murphy Oil was preparing to evacuate non-essential personnel from its most easterly facilities and monitoring the storm for potential impact on other properties, a spokeswoman said.

U.S. Gulf of Mexico offshore oil production accounts for about 17% of U.S. crude oil production and 5% of total U.S. natural gas production. As much as 1.5 million barrels per day of oil output was shut last month as Hurricane Laura tore through the Gulf of Mexico.

Sally was forecast to strengthen in the next several days and head for an area between southeastern Louisiana and Alabama.

If Sally becomes a hurricane, it would be the second to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast in less than a month. Hurricane Laura struck Louisiana with devastating, 150 mph winds, leveling coastal towns and putting two oil refineries out of commission for weeks.