Evacuations intensify as Gustav churns toward Gulf

With top sustained winds just below hurricane strength, Gustav was projected to become a major Category 3 hurricane after it passes between Cuba and Mexico and enters the warm, deep Gulf waters. Some models showed Gustav taking a path toward Louisiana and other Gulf states devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita three years ago.

Vast areas of the Gulf lost power when Katrina struck, and utility companies say they're better prepared to respond to violent weather, but that only so much can be done.

Gustav is forecast to slam into the Gulf Coast early next week.

Hundreds of workers were being pulled out of the Gulf Thursday, and oil companies prepared to stop production, if necessary. About 35,000 people work in the Gulf, staffing offshore rigs and production facilities, among other tasks, according to the U.S. Minerals Management Service.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC planned to have another 300 workers out of the area, after removing 400 on Wednesday. The oil giant said it expected to remove its remaining 600 workers Friday and Saturday. BP PLC said it was completing the evacuation of nonessential platform personnel.

Shell also said it had begun to shut-in production at some wells, a process that can take several days. Anadarko Petroleum Corp., the largest independent deep-water producer in the Gulf of Mexico, was preparing to do the same.

Spokesman John Christiansen said the process entails removing the oil or natural gas from the piping that extends from the seafloor to the production platform, then sealing off the hole.

"Everything is shut off with valves at the seafloor so if there's any damage to the facility itself, the oil or natural gas--whatever's being produced--stays underground and doesn't get out into the environment," he said.

Anadarko, which has eight production platforms in the Gulf, said it expects to have all of its 600 employees and contractors evacuated and its production shut in by Sunday.