U.S. oil and natural gas companies are gearing up for this year’s forecast of an above-average Atlantic hurricane season, according to a security and emergency expert with the American Petroleum Institute (API) last week. Reuters reports that U.S. Gulf Coast refiners have revised plans after last year’s record 30 named storms and widespread storm-related outages. Two refineries in hard-hit Lake Charles were shuttered for months.
Refiners have increased communication with government agencies and other industries as well as hardened refinery units and repositioned equipment to avoid floodwaters. Additionally, oil and gas companies have increased the number of drills and exercises.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast between three and five major hurricanes this year, with sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour. Read more.
