AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; Record Weekly Pump Increases

HOUSTON--Aug. 1, 20059, 2005--Gasoline prices raced to new records every day this week with weekly increases nearing twenty-five cents a gallon in some Texas cities, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.

The Texas average price for regular self-serve soared 22 cents a gallon to a new record of $2.536 a gallon -- that's 75.8 cents higher than last year's average.

The Galveston-Texas City area posted an increase of nearly 25 cents a gallon to an all-time high of $2.581. Both Houston and Fort Worth showed weekly increases of more than 24 cents a gallon.

"For the first time ever, consumers are seeing weekly gasoline increases of 20 cents or more in some cities," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "Pump prices have risen significantly in the last two weeks due to the high price of crude oil, summertime demand, operational problems at various refineries across the U.S. and profit-taking. Unfortunately, motorists may see more upward movement at the pumps before prices start to fall."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline set a new record at $2.586 a gallon -- an 18-cents weekly increase.

AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for automobile trips.

Average Daily Prices as of 12:01 a.m., August 19, 2005:

                            Weekly                 Weekly
      Area       Current    Change     8/12/05     Change     8/5/05
---------------- ------- ------------- -------- ------------- -------
National         $2.586   +18.9 cents   $2.397   +10.4 cents  $2.293
State            $2.536   +22.0 cents   $2.316   +11.2 cents  $2.204
Austin-San
 Marcos          $2.483   +20.7 cents   $2.276   +11.6 cents  $2.160
Beaumont         $2.520   +23.9 cents   $2.281   +12.2 cents  $2.159
Corpus Christi   $2.474   +19.3 cents   $2.281   +15.2 cents  $2.129
Dallas           $2.600   +23.9 cents   $2.361   +11.5 cents  $2.246
Ft. Worth        $2.587   +24.2 cents   $2.345   +10.4 cents  $2.241
Galveston-Texas
 City            $2.581   +24.6 cents   $2.335   +14.4 cents  $2.211
Houston          $2.562   +24.2 cents   $2.320   +11.3 cents  $2.207
San Antonio      $2.464   +19.9 cents   $2.265   +11.8 cents  $2.147


      Area       New Record Price  2004 Average
---------------- ---------------- --------------
National         $2.586 (8/18/05)    $1.869
State            $2.536 (8/18/05)    $1.778
Austin-San
 Marcos          $2.483 (8/18/05)    $1.740
Beaumont         $2.520 (8/18/05)    $1.752
Corpus Christi   $2.474 (8/18/05)    $1.714
Dallas           $2.600 (8/18/05)    $1.790
Ft. Worth        $2.587 (8/18/05)    $1.779
Galveston-Texas
 City            $2.581 (8/18/05)    $1.776
Houston          $2.562 (8/18/05)    $1.756
San Antonio      $2.464 (8/18/05)    $1.733