Hurricane Claudette Moves Crude Oil Prices Higher; AAA Texas Monthly Fuel Gauge Report

    HOUSTON--July 15, 2003--Crude oil and retail gas prices have inched higher over concerns about Hurricane Claudette, according to the AAA Texas Monthly Fuel Gauge Report.
    Statewide, the price for a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline is averaging $1.42, up two cents since June 17th. Last year at this time, gas prices were averaging $1.29 in Texas.
    Nationally, the average price of gasoline is $1.52, compared to last month's average of $1.50 and last year's average of $1.39.
    "The small increase is partly due to fears about Hurricane Claudette which has temporarily disrupted some refining and petroleum shipping in the Gulf of Mexico," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas.
    AAA's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data from the Oil Price Information Service, the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information.
    AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas' members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, insurance and financial products, travel agency, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' web site at www.aaa-texas.com.

                  AAA Texas Fuel Gauge Monthly Report
             AVERAGE PRICE OF SELF-SERVE REGULAR GASOLINE

Metro                            State   July '03  June '03  July '02
------------------------------ --------- --------- --------- ---------
Abilene                           TX        1.455     1.404     1.287
Amarillo                          TX        1.445     1.453     1.308
Austin                            TX        1.406     1.375     1.256
Beaumont                          TX        1.449     1.393     1.272
Brownsville                       TX        1.394     1.365     1.250
Corpus Christi                    TX        1.387     1.355     1.252
Dallas                            TX        1.454     1.434     1.341
El Paso                           TX        1.419     1.408     1.328
Fort Worth                        TX        1.433     1.406     1.329
Houston                           TX        1.424     1.401     1.311
Laredo                            TX        1.402     1.365     1.281
Longview                          TX        1.397     1.380     1.332
Lubbock                           TX        1.446     1.431     1.291
Midland                           TX        1.458     1.433     1.291
Odessa                            TX        1.425     1.426     1.262
San Antonio                       TX        1.402     1.370     1.249
Waco                              TX        1.401     1.366     1.266
------------------------------ --------- --------- --------- ---------
Average                           TX        1.423     1.398     1.288