Northwest Australia May Have More Tropical Cyclones

By Angela Macdonald-Smith

Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Australia's northwest may have more tropical cyclones than average this season, the Bureau of Meteorology said, potentially threatening oil production and mining operations.

The region may have between five and seven tropical cyclones in the season starting Nov. 1, up from four last year, the Canberra-based Bureau said today in a statement on its Web site. There is a higher-than-normal risk of a cyclone striking before Christmas, it said.

BHP Billiton Ltd., Woodside Petroleum Ltd. and Santos Ltd., Australia's three biggest oil and gas producers, were among companies that last year halted production at offshore oil fields because of tropical cyclones, including Nicholas, Ophelia and Pancho. Australia's northwest typically has an average of five tropical cyclones each season, which runs until April 30.

``With the likelihood of early activity, we expect to see a greater number of cyclones this season,'' Andrew Burton, manager of severe weather services, said in the statement. ``It's likely we'll see around two coastal impacts, with one of them being severe.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Macdonald-Smith in Sydney at amacdonaldsm@bloomberg.net