Shell prepared for hurricane season

HOUSTON, June 2 (UPI) -- A hurricane response team is ready to weather the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean region, executives at Royal Dutch Shell announced in Texas.

Tuesday marked the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season. Weather analysts expect an active season because of warmer sea temperatures.

Officials at Shell described a hurricane response team that prepared all year for managing storms in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Our hurricane plan has very specific instructions for producing and drilling locations, describing how to shut operations down safely and leave structures in a state that can weather the storm before we leave," said John Hollowell, executive vice president of deep-water operations at Shell.

Shell said its response priorities focused on safety, environmental protection and supply reliability.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in its seasonal forecast predicted at least three major hurricanes.

NOAA said high winds and seas from a hurricane could accelerate the biodegradation process of an oil spill but distribute the slick over a wider area.