Hurricane Ike, still a Category 2 storm but expected to strengthen to Category 3 by landfall, is now moving into the offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines off the Texas and Louisiana coasts. And the latest forecasts now place it on a beeline for Galveston and Houston, with a possible storm surge of up to 20 feet. This poses a very serious threat to coastal and onshore facilities — refineries, storage tanks, and onshore pipelines — in this very low-lying region. The next 24 hours are going to be rough going. Check out The Oil Drum for updated maps and discussion of potential damage for offshore and coastal facilities in Ike’s path.