Oil Majors Evacuate Workers From Gulf

US companies began to evacuate their workers ahed of hurricane Rita.

Chevron Corp., Shell Oil, BP PLC, Apache Corp., Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Marathon Oil Corp. and drilling contractor Transocean Inc. had evacuated workers from various oil facilities in the Gulf as of late Tuesday.

The U.S. Minerals Management Service said more than 58 percent of daily oil output in the Gulf was blocked Tuesday due to disruption from Katrina and evacuations ahead of Rita, up slightlyfrom 56 percent Monday.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed Tuesday in Vienna, to make available 2 million extra barrels of oil a day to reassure markets edgy over supplies for the winter and storms threatening refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Enditem