HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - September 18, 2008) - The average price of a gallon of gasoline
increased over 16 cents in Texas compared to last week. Still, the state
average of $3.701 is about 13 cents lower than the national average which
also increased over 16 cents to $3.835.
In Houston gas is at $3.692, up 23.7 cents from last week, but still below
the national and state averages.
"As South Texas recovers from Hurricane Ike, AAA Texas is finding that gas
prices jumped significantly but according to Thursday's numbers the rate of
increase has slowed in the past couple of days, so we may be nearing a
peak," said AAA Texas Houston spokesperson Sarah Schimmer. "Oil prices
this week are more than 50 dollars a barrel lower than their mid-July high,
and the big question now is how long it will take the refineries and oil
rigs to get power restored and come back online."
San Antonio, at $3.609, has the least expensive average price as compared
to other metropolitan areas in the state. Corpus Christi reports the next
least expensive gas in the state at $3.629. Dallas is reporting a price of
$3.700 a gallon, an increase of 22.4 cents since last week.
Reporting the highest price in the state is Texarkana at $3.784 followed by
Fort Worth at $3.704.
"There have been reports that some gas stations are trying to take
advantage of customers, but AAA Texas has found that these stations are in
the minority," Schimmer said. "If you feel you have been a victim of price
gouging, keep your receipts and contact the Texas Attorney General's office
to file a report."
Light, sweet crude oil reaching a record price of $147.27 a barrel on July
11, is currently a little over $96 a barrel. Gas reached a national peak
average of $4.11 on July 17.
Current 1 Week Difference Year Difference Record Record
Ago Ago High High
Date Price
09/18/08 09/11/08 Difference 09/18/07 Difference Date Price
National 3.835 3.671 +0.164 2.790 +1.045 07/17/08 4.114
State 3.701 3.537 +0.164 2.685 +1.016 07/17/08 3.985
Amarillo 3.635 3.551 +0.084 2.893 +0.742 07/16/08 3.983
Austin-San 3.648 3.604 +0.044 2.726 +0.922 07/17/08 3.975
Marcos
Beaumont 3.700 3.633 +0.067 2.679 +1.021 07/16/08 4.001
Corpus 3.629 3.587 +0.042 2.639 +0.990 07/15/08 3.960
Christi
Dallas 3.700 3.476 +0.224 2.635 +1.065 07/16/08 3.983
El Paso 3.691 3.565 +0.126 2.857 +0.834 07/17/08 3.967
Ft. Worth 3.704 3.470 +0.234 2.620 +1.084 07/16/08 3.975
Galveston 3.641 3.487 +0.154 2.619 +1.022 07/14/08 3.968
Houston 3.692 3.455 +0.237 2.597 +1.095 07/17/08 3.960
San 3.609 3.555 +0.054 2.660 +0.949 07/16/08 3.957
Antonio
Texarkana 3.784 3.566 +0.218 2.718 +1.066 07/16/08 3.981
(TX Only)
Contact Information: Contacts:
Dan Ronan - Statewide/Dallas
Ronan.dan@aaa-texas.com
danronan@sprint.blackberry.net
469-221-8217 office
469-583-7070 cell
Sarah Schimmer - Houston
Schimmer.sarah@aaa-texas.com
713-284-6552 office
281-797-7886 cell