The prices of oil futures continued to go upward on Thursday as investors seemingly remained concerned about the potential consequences of Tropical Storm Francine, which hit the United States. Yesterday, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) revealed that oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico evacuated numerous platforms and rigs in response to the nasty weather. “From operator reports, BSEE estimates that approximately 38.56% of the current oil production and 48.77% of the current natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in,” BSEE detailed. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for October deliveries jumped 3.05% to sell at $69.37 per barrel at 11:13 am ET. At the same time, Brent for November settlements soared 2.63%, going for $72.54 a barrel.