HOUSTON, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Shell on Monday

said it was shutting in oil production at its Perdido offshore

platform in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, citing downstream impacts.

The oil major earlier said it was evacuating non-essential

staff from its Enchilada, Salsa and Augur offshore oil and gas

facilities, and had paused drilling operations at Perdido and

Whale.

Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) and Chevron ( CVX ) also removed

staff and shut-in offshore output at facilities as Storm

Francine intensified and made a beeline for oil producing areas

in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.