The basin may produce the most named storms since 2012 Atlantic storms can hit Gulf of Mexico oil and gas producers The Atlantic basin will see the most named storms since the 2012 season, the year Sandy crippled the U.S. East Coast, with five to eight of those strengthening into hurricanes by Nov. 30, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. NOAA increased its outlook to 12 to 17 named storms with winds of at least 39 miles (63 kilometers) per hour in the tropical Atlantic after the end of El Nino, which can produce winds that damage systems, according to an updated forecast released Thursday. Two to four storms could grow into major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 miles per hour. Atlantic storms can threaten the Gulf of Mexico, where about 5 percent of the U.S. marketed natural gas production is produced along with 17 percent […]