Stormy weather: a satellite image shows the eye of a cyclone
Laurence tops cyclone scale
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has upgraded Cyclone Laurence to a category five storm - the highest possible grading - as its winds strengthened sharply, gusting up to 285 kilometres per hour.
Players operating in Laurence's path off Western Australia's Kimberley region have already evacuated installations and shut in output ahead of the cyclone's arrival.
“Laurence is a small but very intense tropical cyclone having very destructive winds,” the bureau said.
“Daily rainfall totals in excess of 100 millimetres are possible near the coast with totals decreasing further inland.”
Laurence's eye is expected to make landfall today, north of Derby.
Karoon Gas, ConocoPhillips’ partner in an exploration venture in the region, suspended drilling operations yesterday.
Thailand’s PTT Exploration & Production has evacuated workers from the Jabiru and Challis fields and shut production. Crew working on the crippled Montara wellhead platform were evacuated over the weekend.
Australia's north-west pumps 73% of the nation’s natural gas exports and 64% of its crude oil shipments.
The region can expect six cyclones this season, which runs from November until April, according to an October forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology.
