Hurricane update: Ida dissipates, energy production in GoMex returns to normal

Hurricane Ida, its winds deteriorated to 40 mph as it came ashore near Mobile, Ala., on the morning of Nov. 10, was downgraded to Tropical Depression Ida.
The National Hurricane Center further reduced it to “extratropical” status as its remnants crossed Florida, Alabama and Georgia later on Nov. 10.
The storm prompted U.S. energy companies to close down 43.1 percent of oil output and 28.0 percent of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. Employees from eight drilling rigs and 126 production platforms were evacuated as the storm passes through the area, the U.S. Minerals Management Service said.
Energy sources predicted that oil industry operations that had been shut down ahead of the storm would return to normal by the end of Nov. 10 or early
On Nov. 11.
The Gulf is the source of 25 percent of U.S. domestically produced oil and 15 percent of natural gas. About 40 percent of U.S. refining capacity is located on the Gulf Coast.
Oil refineries will not likely need to request crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as they prepare for the potential effects of Tropical Storm Ida on the country's stockpile, the Energy Department said. Refineries were "holding above average stock levels, and refinery utilization is average or less than average," the agency said. The department is capable of supplying crude but said it thinks that it will not be necessary.
Chevron Corp. said on Nov. 10 that it was assessing facilities in the Gulf of Mexico affected by Tropical Storm Ida and returning workers to offshore platforms. The company will continue "safe remobilization efforts throughout the week," Chevron said in a news release.

Florida Gov. Crist says opposed to Calypso pipeline off Fort Lauderdale

MIAMI, Fla. – Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced at a town hall meeting in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 18 that he opposes the proposed Calypso pipeline off the Fort Lauderdale coast, signaling the project's demise.
"If you think about one of these huge tankers being off the coast near many of my friends, so close by, how can you support that?'' the governor asked."So I don't support it"
When a woman in the audience asked Crist to put Calypso to bed, he said:"I think it's already in bed. It's gone."
Calypso is the deep-water natural gas port planned for the waters off their beach. Crist's biggest applause line, by far, came with his promise to kill the project.
Fort Lauderdale city officials and homeowners have been fighting the proposed offshore gas pipeline project for several months. Residents, who expressed safety concerns about the project, gave Crist a standing ovation after he announced his opposition, the first time Crist has publicly signaled his opinion about the pipeline.