Mississippi Flooding Threatens Louisiana Oil
The rising floodwaters of the Mississippi River, threatening towns and farms between Memphis and the Gulf of Mexico, may affect 10 percent of Louisiana’s onshore crude oil production.
A total of 2,264 oil wells are responsible for about 19,000 barrels of crude a day, said Matt Ross, communications director for the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. He said 150 companies are preparing for flooding in a four-parish area in the southern part of the state.
As much as 252.6 million cubic feet a day of gas may be threatened, said Anna Dearmon, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, along with operations at 10 Louisiana refineries that account for about 14 percent of U.S. operating capacity.