AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- With Christmas and holiday travel in full swing, Austin-area drivers are paying less at the pump again this week, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.
The price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in the Austin-San Marcos metro area fell one cent this week to $2.83 a gallon. That's 91 cents higher than this time last year.
Across the state, the average fell two cents this week to $2.87 a gallon, which is 93 cents more than this time last year. Nationwide, drivers are paying an average of $3.28 a gallon, also down two cents from last week and $1.03 more than a year ago.
Drivers in Odessa are seeing the state's highest prices on average at $3.05 a gallon, while San Antonio drivers are paying the least at $2.67 a gallon.
Analysts say that concerns over the omicron COVID-19 variant and a potential economic slowdown are weighing on gasoline prices, although last week's fire at an ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown could put some upward pressure on pump prices.
“More details should emerge in the coming days about the extent of the damage to the refinery,” said AAA Texas spokesperson Joshua Zuber. “If it can be back up and running normally in a few weeks, the effect could be minimal. But if repairs take months, consumers could begin seeing higher prices again at the pump.”
Texas and Oklahoma are tied for the lowest average in the country this week, with Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky rounding out the top five.
