HOUSTON, (Reuters) – Francine strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday night, the U.S. National Hurricane Cen-ter said, as it prompted Louisiana residents to flee inland and oil and gas companies to shut in Gulf of Mexico production.
Francine was developing more slowly than earlier forecast but could still wallop the Louisiana coast on Wednesday with life-threatening winds, drenching rains and an up to 10-foot (3-meter) storm surge.
Maximum sustained winds reached 75 miles per hour (120 kph) on Tuesday night as the storm became a Category 1 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, the hurricane center said.
The storm was moving off the southern Texas coast and expected to make landfall on Wednesday near Thibodaux in Louisiana. Its path promises a major test for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants recently built in the region.
Energy companies shut-in 412,070 barrels per day of oil production, about 24% of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico production, and evacuated staff from 130 production platforms, U.S. offshore regulator Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said on Tuesday.
About 494 million cubic feet per day, or 26% of Gulf natural gas production, was offline, according to reports submitted to the offshore regulator.
The region is home to about 15% of U.S. oil production and 2% of natural gas output.
