Hazardous-materials releases from offshore oil and gas facilities and emergency response following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Hurricane Katrina and Rita triggered numerous hazardous-materials releases from industrial facilities and storage terminals onshore, as well as from oil and gas production facilities offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. In this paper, we identify and analyze over 600 hazardous-materials releases triggered by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from offshore platforms and pipelines. The results of the study may assist offshore industry owners/operators, government officials and policy makers by providing lessons learned and recommendations for better disaster planning for major storms and flood events.