Larger LNG plants farther west remain outside the warning zone, including Sabine Pass, Cameron, Calcasieu Pass, Golden Pass, Freeport and Corpus Christi, Prandelli said. Isaias is forecast to reach the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, bringing dangerous storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rain.
Offshore producers have already shut in 511,619 BPD of oil, about 25% of Gulf output, and 350.25 million cubic feet a day of natural gas, or 16%, the Marine Minerals Administration estimated Wednesday. Shell is evacuating all personnel and shutting production at Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Vito and Appomattox. Chevron has begun shutdown procedures at four Gulf facilities, while production at five others remains normal.