Oil and gas exploration and production companies in the Gulf of Mexico and refineries along the coast of the United States have stopped production one after another to prepare for Hurricane Ida.

According to the National Hurricane Center's latest forecast, Hurricane Ida will make landfall near New Orleans early next week. According to the Safety and Environmental Enforcement Administration, as of Friday, 59% of crude oil production capacity (equivalent to about 1.06 million barrels/day) and 49% of natural gas production capacity had been shut down. The refining and chemical production capacity of about 1.25 million b/d at the refining plant along the Mississippi River has been shut down or the operating rate has been reduced.

Oil companies that shut down oil and gas production capacity include:British Petroleum, Shell, Norwegian National Petroleum,BHP Billiton,Murphy,Chevron,ExxonMobil.

Companies that stopped or cut production at refineries include Phillips 66, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Marathon.

Also, the Port of New Orleans is expected to close on Saturday.