Oil exploration is one of the most technologically advanced industries and oil platforms are much better prepared for storms now than in the past. So Hurricane Harvey will disrupt, but it shouldn't be a catastrophe.
Industry analyst Mike Lynch says the oil companies are clearing rigs, but not everybody has to go.
"Some of the bigger rigs are designed to handle pretty much anything so there's not really as much need to take everybody off."
Lynch says drillers don't wait until the last minute to react to storms.
"It's been a long time since anybody's been surprised by a hurricane; the path is not always certain very far ahead but they get prepared and they have equipment on standby."
Lynch says they'll clear the platforms for a while, but it shouldn't be a disaster.
"It's actually not that big a deal; usually you'll have maybe a three day disruption of operations; that's about the most you ever see except in really extreme cases like Katrina."
Lynch says it won't take long to get workers off the platforms -- or back on, either. Oil exploration technology advances pretty quickly and the rigs are much safer than in years past.