HOUSTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Energy firms have shut 61.9percent of oil production and 48.2 percent of natural gas outputin the U.S. Gulf of Mexico because of Tropical Storm Karen, thegovernment said on Saturday.
The amount of idled oil work rose 12.4 percent from Friday,while stoppages of natural gas output rose 8.8 percent, the U.S.Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said.
The U.S. Gulf normally produces about a fifth of U.S. crudeoil and 6 percent of gas output. (Reporting By Erwin Seba; Editing by Terry Wade)