LOOP restarts offshore operations after Gustav

NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the only U.S. deepwater oil port supplying crude to about half of the nation's refining capacity, said on Friday it restarted offloading tankers in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.

"The LOOP infrastructure was not damaged by Hurricane Gustav which passed directly over the LOOP platform," the company said in a press release.

LOOP added that it resumed deliveries of crude oil from onshore storage Friday morning.

LOOP said its operations, which had been suspended Aug. 30 due to Gustav, were running at reduced rates using emergency power sources until full power is restored. (Reporting by Richard Valdmanis)