Hurricane Laura made landfall near Lake Charles, Louisiana late last week as a Category 4 storm after gathering strength in the Gulf of Mexico. Sustained winds of 150 mph and storm surge caused widespread power outages, lost water service, shredded homes and extensive infrastructure damage.
Hurricane Laura caused devastation in the southern Louisiana communities where it made landfall. However, the close call to Houston and its potential massive damage, renewed calls by government officials to build a massive coastal spine along Galveston Bay. According to Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a deadly storm with a direct hit to Houston would result in over $100 billion in damages.
In preparation for the storm, energy companies offshore and along the coast prepared by shutting down facilities. Forecasts indicated that Hurricane Laura threatened about a third of U.S. refining capacity and potentially international trade through the Port of Houston. In preparation, six coastal refineries shut down and evacuated around half of offshore platforms.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) estimates that around a third of the current oil and natural gas production in the Gulf remain shut-in. BSEE will need to inspect facilities and check for damage before production can come back online.
With changes to state and local jurisdictions throughout the pandemic, PESA ensures that all elements of our sector and the critical supply chain remain open and permitted to operate. PESA tracks these updates online through its COVID-19 State and Local Updates page.
