AAA Texas: Gas Prices Inch Nearer to $2.00 a Gallon in Texas

 | Source: AAA Texas AAA Texas

IRVING, TX--(Marketwire - April 2, 2009) - For the first time since mid-November 2008, gasoline prices in Texas moved upwards to nearly $2.00 a gallon. In one week, a gallon of gasoline cost a nickel more, increasing from nearly $1.93 last week to just below $1.98 a gallon today. Gasoline prices in the Dallas/Fort Worth area increased by the largest margin, with Dallas now fractionally above $2.00 a gallon, while Fort Worth has climbed to $1.99. That's an increase of seven cents in both cities.

Today's Texas average is $1.98, up a nickel since last week. The national average is $2.04, up more than three cents.

Gas in Dallas is the most expensive in the state and the least expensive is Corpus Christi. It's fractionally below $2.01 in Dallas and at $1.92 in Corpus Christi.

Even though world and national oil supplies remain plentiful, oil prices have been increasing. As early as Monday, oil was trading in the $48.00 a barrel range. Today at mid-day on the NYMEX Exchange, it has been as high as $52 dollars, up nearly $4.00 in early trading. Oil prices are up nearly 21% since the beginning of 2009.

According to AAA National, two other factors are increasing prices. Because of the recession, oil refiners have cut capacity to keep the markets from being glutted with gasoline. This is also the time of year when refiners must change their gasoline from winter blend to the cleaner burning spring and summer products to reduce air pollution. Because of the additional additives, those products cost more to produce. The Oil Price Information Service says oil markets are also looking for any good economic news it can find and when it comes to gas prices "nickels and dimes are the new penny."

"While gasoline prices have increased more than 40 cents nationally and in Texas since their all time low in late December, it's important to note compared to a year ago, motorists are saving a substantial amount of money. The Oil Price Information Service calculates an average driver, using 50 gallons a month will probably save between $75 and $100 a month compared to last summer, should gasoline prices stay in the range between $2.00 and $2.25 a gallon," says AAA Texas Corporate Communications Manager Dan Ronan in Irving. 

                    1 Week                                  Record  Record
            Current   Ago              Year Ago              High    High
Area        4/2/09  3/26/09 Difference  4/2/08  Difference   Date    Price
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
National    $ 2.045 $ 2.009     +0.036 $  3.287     -1.242 07/17/08 $ 4.114
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
State       $ 1.978 $ 1.927     +0.051 $  3.213     -1.235 07/17/08 $ 3.985
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Amarillo    $ 1.941 $ 1.938     +0.003 $  3.246     -1.305 07/16/08 $ 3.983
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Austin-
 San Marcos $ 1.959 $ 1.907     +0.052 $  3.185     -1.226 07/17/08 $ 3.975
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Beaumont    $ 1.956 $ 1.917     +0.039 $  3.207     -1.251 07/16/08 $ 4.001
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Corpus
 Christi    $ 1.921 $ 1.890     +0.031 $  3.140     -1.219 07/15/08 $ 3.960
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Dallas      $ 2.007 $ 1.938     +0.069 $  3.231     -1.224 07/16/08 $ 3.983
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
El Paso     $ 1.963 $ 1.986     -0.023 $  3.179     -1.216 07/17/08 $ 3.967
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Ft. Worth   $ 1.996 $ 1.920     +0.076 $  3.226     -1.230 07/16/08 $ 3.975
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Galveston   $ 1.976 $ 1.927     +0.049 $  3.231     -1.255 07/14/08 $ 3.968
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Houston     $ 1.973 $ 1.926     +0.047 $  3.221     -1.248 07/17/08 $ 3.960
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
San Antonio $ 1.923 $ 1.851     +0.072 $  3.161     -1.238 07/16/08 $ 3.957
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------
Texarkana
 (TX Only)  $ 1.943 $ 1.919     +0.024 $  3.183     -1.240 07/17/08 $ 3.981
            ------- ------- ---------- -------- ---------- -------- -------

Contact Information: Contacts: Dan Ronan Manager, Corporate Communications/Community Relations AAA Texas/New Mexico 469-221-8217 work 469-583-7070 cell Ronan.dan@aaa-texas.com danronan@sprint.blackberry.net (immediate) Sarah Schimmer Media/Public Affairs Houston AAA Texas/New Mexico Schimmer.sarah@aaa-texas.com 713-284-6552 work 281-797-7886 cell

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