(Refiling Sept 13 story to fix typo in 13th paragraph)HOUSTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Sallystrengthened off the west coast of Florida on Sunday and waspoised to become a category 2 hurricane, bringing the threat ofdangerous storm surges and high winds to the U.S. Gulf Coast,the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.The storm track was disrupting oil production in the U.S.Gulf of Mexico for a second time in less than a month. TheMiami-based NHC said the storm was likely to reach hurricanestrength on Monday, and approach the north-central Gulf Coastlate on Monday and Tuesday.Hurricane conditions were expected by early Tuesday fromGrand Isle, Louisiana to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, includingNew Orleans, the center said.Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said he had spokenearlier in the day to U.S. President Donald Trump and had alsorequested a federal declaration of emergency in advance ofSally, which allows for early support from the federalgovernment.
"We have every reason to believe that this storm representsa very significant threat to the people of southeast Louisiana,"Bel Edwards told a news conference.
As of 4 p.m. CDT (2100 GMT), Sally was about 165 miles (265km) south of Panama City, Florida, and heading west-northwestwith top sustained winds of 60 miles per hour (95 kph).
Sally is expected to become a category 2 hurricane with100-mile-per-hour (161-kph) winds by the time it makes landfallin southeast Louisiana on Tuesday, an official with the U.S.National Weather Service said.
"VERY, VERY HEAVY RAINFALL"Sally carried the danger of storm surges - when the oceanrises at the coast over normal tide levels - of up to 11 feet(3.35 m), and rainfall of up to 12 inches (30 cm), the centersaid."The biggest issue here is going to be life-threateningstorm surge and then the very, very heavy rainfall that's goingto accompany this," said Jim Foerster, chief meteorologist forDTN, an energy, agriculture and weather data provider.The storm follows Laura, which rampaged across the Gulf ofMexico three weeks ago and grew into a Category 4 hurricane with150 mph (240 kph) winds. It shut hundreds of offshore oilfacilities, leveled coastal Louisiana towns and left residentsof Louisiana and Texas without power for weeks.
On Sunday, two more oil companies, BP Plc and EquinorASA , evacuated staff from some offshore platformsfollowing similar action by Chevron Corp and Murphy OilCorp on Saturday.
BP said it evacuated non-essential workers from its Nakikaand Thunderhorse platforms in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico,while Equinor shut its Titan platform.Laura halted up to 1.5 million barrels per day of output anda half dozen refineries, two of which are still in the processof making repairs. Mandatory evacuation was also ordered in parts of Louisianaon Sunday.
Further off in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Paulette wasmoving closer to Bermuda, and was expected to move near or overthe island on Monday morning, the NHC said. Paulette wascarrying top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and wasexpected to strengthen during Sunday.
(Reporting by Gary McWilliamsAdditional reporting by Joshua Franklin in BostonWriting by Frances KerryEditing by Susan Fenton, Nick Zieminski and Diane Craft)