SOUTHEAST TEXAS - The average gasoline price in Beaumont is $3.23 this week, the lowest average in the state, according to a report released Thursday by AAA Texas.
The average is down 12 cents from the previous week. It's one cent lower than at the same time last year. The record high in Beaumont was $4 a gallon in July 2008.
Watch KFDM News at 6 for reaction to Thursday's average gas price report.
Click here to read the AAA Texas gasoline price survey
Click here for the Gas Buddy report. Type your city in the search box to find the lowest prices
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Gas prices are sharply lower in Texas, and analysts say the drop is due in part to falling demand because so many vehicles and airplanes on the East Coast were idled by Superstorm Sandy.
The AAA Texas survey released Thursday says the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline fell to $3.30 in Texas.
AAA Texas says demand for gas in the days after the storm was expected to be nearly 25 percent lower than normal for this time of year. While the storm did stop or slow production at some refineries, analysts say gas prices will continue to drop as long as production picks up as expected.
The most expensive gas in Texas was in El Paso at $3.43, while the cheapest was in Beaumont at $3.23.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
(Irving, TX) - From AAA Texas - Texans are now paying an average of $3.30 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. That's nine cents less than a week ago and 21 cents less than the national average which now sits at $3.51. Drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $3.43 while drivers in Beaumont are paying the least on average at $3.23.
When Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the Northeast, two of six refineries had announced temporary closures and the remaining four refineries expected to operate at reduced rates in the storm's aftermath. The storm also had an impact on the demand for fuel. Nearly 9,000 flights were cancelled and tens of millions of motorists are staying home as a result of the storm's damage.
Gas demand at this time of year is usually near 8.5 million barrels per day but for several days after the storm gas demand is expected to be at least one or two million fewer barrels per day. This drop in demand has led to a drop in pump prices especially in Texas and other Gulf Coast regions which normally supply product to the East Coast but felt no direct effects from the storm.
"Unlike Hurricane Isaac earlier this year, Hurricane Sandy impacted an area that is a major consumer of gasoline rather than a major producer," said AAA Texas/New Mexico Representative Doug Shupe. "So long as there is a smooth restart to production and distribution following Sandy, AAA expects gas prices will continue to drop up to Election Day and move even lower as we approach the end of the year."
To help consumers identify quality auto repair shops that can assist in the maintenance and repair of their vehicles, AAA offers the Approved Auto Repair program as a free public service. AAA-approved repair facilities meet and maintain high professional standards for training, equipment, cleanliness and customer service. Motorists can look for the Approved Auto Repair sign at local auto repair facilities, or search for a nearby AAA-approved shop online at AAA.com/Repair.
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