Refineries that scaled back operations ahead of Hurricane Francine are beginning to reopen with limited damage.
Exxon has resumed full operations at its Baton Rouge refinery, which had previously been reduced to 20% capacity. A company spokeswoman confirmed that the facility is now running normally and continuing to meet customer commitments.
Shell is assessing its Norco refinery, which had to halt its diesel production hydrocracker due to the storm. Initial reports suggest minimal damage from wind, rain, or storm surge, Shell said.
The situation at Marathon Petroleum’s Garyville refinery remains uncertain. The company has not provided updates, although power outages in the area have been noted. This refinery is the fourth-largest in the U.S.
Gulf of Mexico field operators are preparing to restart platforms that were shut in during the storm, which had affected over 700,000 barrels per day of production capacity—over 40% of total output.
Oil ports, including the largest, Port of Corpus Christi, have begun reopening, lifting restrictions on Thursday. Ports in Freeport, Houston, and Sabine have also reopened, which is expected to exert downward pressure on oil prices.
This hurricane season has been less active than anticipated, with fewer significant storms than forecasters predicted. Despite forecasts of up to 33 named storms, the season has seen the lowest number of storms in 50 years. AccuWeather predicts two to four more storms may impact U.S. coastal states before the season ends.
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