U.S. Gulf rig evacuated during Hurricane Ida

One of Noble Corp.'s three U.S. Gulf drillships that scrambled to evade Ida's path faced hurricane-force conditions and survived.

The Globetrotter II, which is leased to Royal Dutch Shell Plc for $275,000 a day for the next couple of years, maintained stability throughout Ida's passing and operates on its own power with functional marine and safety systems, said the Sugar Land, Texas-based company in a statement Sunday.

A full assessment of its condition will be completed as soon as the weather clears, Noble said. Each rig successfully secured its respective well in progress and took evasive actions to avoid the storm's path.

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico is home to 14 permanent drilling rigs and more than 1,000 active production platforms, including water and biomass. Oil companies bracing for the storm evacuated the equivalent of 1.74 million barrels of daily crude output and on-site removed individuals from platforms in the days leading up to Hurricane Ida's arrival.