Gas Prices Creep Up a Penny From a Month Ago

    HOUSTON--Feb. 16, 2001--Gas Prices in the Lone Star State rose a penny in February, according to the Fuel Gauge Report from AAA Texas.
    The statewide average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel is $1.39 -- 10 cents more than this time last year.
    AAA's Fuel Gauge Report shows nationally the average price for unleaded fuel is $1.49 a gallon, holding steady from a month ago -- but 12 cents higher per gallon than last year.
    February is typically the month with the lowest gas demand, so prices traditionally drop at this time of year. But oil industry analysts say that skyrocketing natural gas prices have had an impact on fuel costs because some natural gas components are used in fuel additives.

                  AAA TEXAS FUEL GAUGE MONTHLY REPORT
         AVERAGE PRICE OF SELF-SERVE REGULAR UNLEADED GASOLINE
                       IN SELECTED TEXAS CITIES

Metro           State    Feb. '01   Feb. '00
-----------------------------------------------
Abilene          TX        1.391      1.306
Amarillo         TX        1.431      1.345
Austin           TX        1.361      1.260
Beaumont         TX        1.391      1.288
Brownsville      TX        1.318      1.291
Corpus Christi   TX        1.301      1.238
Dallas           TX        1.425      1.309
El Paso          TX        1.363      1.309
Fort Worth       TX        1.424      1.280
Houston          TX        1.384      1.307
Laredo           TX        1.437      1.291
Longview         TX        1.399      1.300
Lubbock          TX        1.427      1.323
Midland          TX        1.424       n/a
Odessa           TX        1.397       n/a
San Antonio      TX        1.323      1.239
Waco             TX        1.358      1.256
-----------------------------------------------
Average          TX        1.386      1.290

                          (Feb. 2001)    (Feb. 2000)
National Average Price       $1.49          $1.37       up 12 cents
Texas Average Price          $1.39          $1.29       up 10 cents

           Survey Commissioned by AAA-Texas on February 2001