⁍ BP and Equinor ASA withdrew workers and shut their offshore production platforms.

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⁍ The storm is forecast to sweep across the resort area on Monday and churn through Gulf of Mexico oilfields.

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– Oil producers in the Gulf of Mexico are evacuating as Tropical Storm Zeta approaches. The storm is expected to hit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula tomorrow before heading toward the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday, where it could become a hurricane, Reuters reports. BP has pulled oil workers from its offshore production platforms in the Gulf and Chevron has started withdrawing staff from Gulf of Mexico oilfields. The storm is expected to sweep across the resort area on Monday and churn through Gulf of Mexico oilfields. “With forecasts indicating the storm will move across the Central and/or Northeastern Gulf of Mexico in the next few days, we are taking steps to respond,” BP said in a statement. Occidental Petroleum Corp., the third-largest producer in the offshore Gulf of Mexico, is implementing storm preparations. It has been a challenging year for Gulf of Mexico oil producers, with companies having to withdraw workers and halt output at least six times as storms churned through the Gulf’s offshore production region. US Gulf of Mexico offshore oil production accounts for about 17% of total US crude oil output and 5% of total US dry natural gas production. If Zeta strikes the US mainland, it would top the record for 10 named storms to make US landfall during the span of one hurricane season, set only weeks ago by Hurricane Delta. Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the largest deepwater oil export port on the US Gulf Coast, is implementing storm procedures, it said. Mississippi River ports from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico were open on Monday but placed on notice for gale force winds from a storm due within 72 hours.