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Thousands of oil rigs were evacuated in the Gulf of Mexico because of Hurricane Gustav. Hurricane Gustav was reported to have claimed the lives of about 87 people in the Caribbean. On August 30, Gustav strengthened to Category 4 Hurricane in Cuba. It was expected to hit any place within Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas before Tuesday. The most likely projected place was New Orleans in Louisiana.

The eye of the hurricane Gustav made a landfall as a Cat 2, on Monday Sept 1, 2009 (Labor Day) at Cocodrie a town at the southwest of New Orleans. Before the landing of the storm about 20 million residents of New Orleans have been evacuated from the city. The estimated damage caused by the hurricane Gustav was not as severe as projected. The effect of Gustav was not as devastating as that of Katrina which hit the city three years ago. It was also expected that the evacuation of the oil rigs will cause a quick rise in the price of oil and gas in United States.

The Niger Delta Militia in Nigeria claims to have killed 29 soldiers in a recent raid in the region. The Niger Delta problem has continued unabated and deepening with horrendous catastrophe in this most populous African nation, Despite various moves and committees set by the Yar'Adua government with the hope of finding solution to the problem of the incessant attacks by various militia groups in the region, the situation seems to be escalating on daily basis causing the nation a big loss in oil production and human resources. Nigeria is the world's sixth exporter of crude oil and the seventh in gas reserves.