Offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico are evacuating production platforms and shutting in wells aheadof Tropical Storm Cindy, which is expected to make landfall sometime early Thursday.

As of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, offshore personnel were evacuated from 40 platforms, according to the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which regulates offshore drilling and relies on data submitted by operators.

The 40 platforms represent roughly 5.4 percent of the 737 manned platforms in the Gulf, the agency said.

Workers from just one of 15 non-dynamically positioned rigs operating in the Gulf have been evacuated, the agency said.

In addition, roughly 17 percent of oil- and gas-producing wells in the Gulf have been shut in as a precaution, the agency said. The process, which can typically be done remotely, involves closing safety valves located below the surface of the ocean floor to prevent the release of oil or gas.

Once the storm is over, production facilities will be inspected and undamaged facilities will be brought back online.

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Some Gulf offshore production platforms evacuated, wells shut-in due to Tropical Storm Cindy - The Advocate