U.S. offshore energy producers brace for Hurricane Zeta impact

FILE PHOTO: A man rides his bicycle while palm trees sway in the wind as Hurricane Zeta approaches, in Cancun, Mexico October 26, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Delgado/File Photo

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Energy firms and ports along the U.S. Gulf Coast were bracing on Tuesday for another test as Hurricane Zeta, the 11th hurricane of the season, entered the Gulf of Mexico.

BP, Chevron and Equinor evacuated oil workers and Royal Dutch Shell paused drilling as winds intensified to 85 mile-per-hour (136 kph). Pipeline operator Enbridge evacuated an offshore platform and on Tuesday plans to remove workers from a Louisiana natural gas processing plant.