Nearly 30% of US Gulf of Mexico crude oil production and 41% of its natural gas production remained offline on Saturday following Hurricane Francine, the US offshore energy regulator said.
There was more than 522,000 barrels of oil production per day and 755 million cubic feet of natural gas offline due to the storm, the Bureau of Safety Engineering and Enforcement said.
There were 52 oil and gas platforms unmanned by energy workers, down from 171 evacuated platforms at its peak earlier in the week.
The storm, which drew fuel from exceedingly warm Gulf of Mexico waters, came ashore Wednesday in Louisiana with 100 mph (160 kph) winds and drenched a large swath of the South, including parts of Arkansas and Florida. Forecasters say the storm's slow progress will mean days of heavy rain in the Southeast, creating a flash flooding risk.
Another 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters), with about 8 inches (20 centimeters) in some locations, were expected in parts of central and northern Alabama through Sunday. In northeastern Mississippi, western Tennessee, western Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, another 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) was expected.
No deaths or serious injuries have been reported in Francine's aftermath.
