Drones Help Tackle Shell’s Million-Dollar Hurricane Problem

Markets Contact us:Provide news feedback or report an error Confidential tip?Send a tip to our reporters Site feedback:Take our Survey By Lucia Kassai October 9, 2026 at 3:56 PM UTC Updated on October 9, 2026 at 9:46 PM UTC Takeaways by Bloomberg AI When hurricanes sweep through the Gulf of Mexico, oil companies can lose millions of dollars waiting for the all-clear to restart production. Shell Plc thinks a fleet of drones can help cut that wait. The British energy giant has obtained a key US approval to become the first oil producer to use drones in offshore platforms. It’s a move Shell hopes will eventually help it restart production faster after major weather events, such as Hurricane Isaias, and save it tens of millions of dollars in coming years.