Isaias Forecast To Become Season's First Atlantic Hurricane, Threatening Gulf Coast Rigs, Major Refineries

Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane, with the northern US Gulf Coast in its crosshairs later this week. The cone of uncertainty includes critical energy assets, such as offshore oil rigs and major refineries.

Isaias was about 285 miles west of Progreso, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center wrote in its latest advisory. It is expected to become a hurricane Thursday.

Dozens of offshore oil and natural gas rigs are in the storm's path. Chevron is evacuating nonessential personnel from its Gulf platforms as a precaution.

Isaias' projected landfall area currently spans Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle.

One notable refinery in thestorm'ss path is Chevron's Pascagoula refinery, located on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, which can process 369,000 barrels of crude a day. The refinery produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and premium base oils.

List of major US refineries in the storm's path:

September ended without a hurricane for the first time in 32 years, as strong wind shear associated with El Niño disrupted tropical development. Isaias is expected to become the first Atlantic hurricane of the season.