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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
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FACT BRIEF

Did a Shell-operated deep water oil platform break loose in the Gulf of Mexico due to Hurricane Ida?

By Beatrice Dupuy
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NO

The claim was shared widely on social media but the U.S. Coast Guard conducted a flyover of the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday that revealed no oil platforms had broken loose, according to an agency statement.

On Monday, Shell conducted its own flyover and announced on its website that its oil platforms, known as Mars, Olympus and Ursa, “are all intact and on location.”

The false claim stemmed from a Facebook post from Mississippi Weather Network, an account that shares weather information based on tips from the public. In an email to the AP, the network said it had heard from a source that an oil platform had broken loose but “issued a retraction as quickly as possible” after it could not be confirmed.

Social media users, however, continued to share screenshots of the original post.  

See a full discussion of this at The Associated Press
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Shell (US) Shell US Storm Updates
Mississippi Weather Network Facebook post, Aug. 29
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
The Associated Press
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.