(Houston Chronicle) - Still bloodied from last year's hurricane season, the energy industry is building up its defenses in the Gulf of Mexico for another round with Mother Nature.

Hurricane season begins Thursday, and federal officials report that 22 percent of crude oil production and 13 percent of natural gas production in the Gulf is still derailed.

Consumers are going into storm season with gasoline costs already approaching the prices seen after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrecked rigs and closed refineries. So if the Gulf is hit again with hurricanes, prices could be pushed even higher.

Link