Hurricane Isaias approaches northern Gulf Coast as evacuations and oil shutdowns expand

Hurricane Isaias was approaching the northern U.S. Gulf Coast on Friday, prompting evacuation orders, emergency declarations and widespread shutdowns of offshore oil and gas production ahead of an expected landfall Friday night or early Saturday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Isaias had strengthened to Category 2, with sustained winds of about 105 mph (165 kph), while The Guardian reported that it reached Category 3 on Friday morning. Forecasts placed landfall near the Alabama-Florida border or elsewhere along the coasts of Florida, Alabama or Mississippi. Hurricane and storm-surge warnings covered parts of the northern Gulf Coast, where forecasters warned of damaging winds, flooding rain and life-threatening inundation.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered in several Florida coastal counties, and states of emergency were declared in affected Gulf Coast states. Residents boarded windows, filled sandbags and prepared fuel supplies, while two airports in northwestern Florida planned to suspend operations.

Offshore operators evacuated personnel and shut wells as the storm approached. The Marine Minerals Administration said 121 production platforms had been evacuated and estimated that 62.89% of Gulf oil production and 57.35% of natural gas production had been halted. Shell, BP and Chevron were among the companies taking precautions, including evacuating facilities and moving drilling rigs. Facilities are expected to be inspected after the storm before undamaged production is restarted.