In a report sent to Rigzone this week, Standard Chartered analysts predicted Hurricane Lee’s effect on oil and gas in the United States.
“Its track is forecast to be northward, moving parallel to the US East Coast, but significantly offshore,” the analysts said in the report.
“So it shouldn’t affect any oil and gas production facilities, although it could have an impact on refining capacity in the New York area, depending on the storm surge and where it eventually hits land,” they added.
Analysts also looked at Hurricane Margot, noting that the storm has turned north in the mid-Atlantic.
“As such it should have no impact on oil and gas production or refining,” the analysts said in the report.
“However, both hurricanes could disrupt shipping lanes,” they added.
At the time of writing, Hurricane Lee has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and a northward motion of 15 mph, while Hurricane Margot has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and an east-northeast motion of three miles per hour. at the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
“Lee is moving northward near 15 miles per hour and this general movement with increased advance speed is expected through Saturday,” noted a warning posted on the NHC website at at 6:00 UTC on Friday.
“A turn to the north-northeast and then to the northeast is expected Saturday night and Sunday. On the forecast track, Lee’s center will continue to move away from Bermuda this morning, approaching the coast of New England and Atlantic Canada today and Saturday, and will move across Atlantic Canada Saturday night and Sunday,” the advisory added.
“Gradually weakening is expected tonight and Saturday, but Lee is expected to remain large and dangerous for the next several days…Lee is a very large hurricane. Hurricane-force winds are extending to the outward up to 105 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 345 miles,” the advisory said.
As of this writing, the NHC is also tracking an unnamed disturbance in the Atlantic, which it says has a 90 percent chance of cyclone formation within 48 hours.
Red Cross preparing to respond
In a statement sent to Rigzone on Thursday, the Texas Gulf Coast Red Cross noted that Hurricane Lee is “threatening parts of the East Coast with strong winds, a devastating storm surge and heavy rainfall later this week.” .
“The American Red Cross is preparing to respond and urges everyone in Lee’s potential path to monitor their local weather and be prepared for this storm,” the organization said in the statement.
“The Texas Gulf Coast Red Cross Region and our dedicated volunteers are preparing to respond to Hurricane Lee before the storm makes landfall. Across the region, we have deployed more than a dozen volunteers to locations on the East Coast, where they will assist with shelter and other storm response needs,” he added.
“Even if the storm weakens, the National Hurricane Center warns that it will not diminish the storm’s potential for devastating impacts. Because of the storm’s monstrous size, areas far from the center of the storm could still see the effects of Lee,” he continued.
The statement warned that tropical storm-force wind gusts could affect parts of Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts Friday night and affect other areas of New England this weekend.
“Maine is likely to see the worst effects of the storm with strong winds, heavy rain and waves that could exceed 30 feet in height,” the statement said.
“Due to the ongoing heavy rains, the ground is already saturated in many of the areas where Lee is expected to make landfall, increasing the risk of flooding,” he added.
“The Red Cross is closely monitoring the storm and preparing to respond as Hurricane Lee heads north. We have prepositioned disaster equipment and supplies to be ready to support communities that may be affected by the storm,” he continued.
In the statement, the Red Cross noted that in addition to preparing for a hurricane on the East Coast, it is still responding to Hurricane Idalia in Florida.
A statement posted on the NHC website at 7:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30 noted that “Extremely Dangerous Category 3 Hurricane Idalia” had made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend.
In a report published on its website the same day, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) highlighted that Hurricane Idalia was affecting production facilities and pipelines on the US Gulf Coast.
Also on August 30, in a statement posted on its website, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that EPA Administrator Michael Regan issued a fuel exemption d emergency “to address a fuel supply emergency in Florida caused by Hurricane Idalia.”
The hurricane too affected some Chevron and Kinder Morgan operations and removed the power for hundreds of thousands of customers in Florida.
To contact the author, please send an email andreas.exarcheas@rigzone.com
