Green Country Travelers Fear Increase In Gas Prices

Dan Bewley, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The last holiday of the summer is approaching quickly. Travelers are getting ready to hit the road this Labor Day weekend, and many will feel it at the pump.

The average price for gas right in Tulsa, according to the American Automobile Association, is $3.52 a gallon. With a holiday weekend around the corner and the east coast recovering from Hurricane Irene, many are wondering if that price will go up.

AAA is predicting more than 370,000 Oklahomans will travel this holiday weekend. The number includes both air and land.

It's the ground travel that has drivers concerned. They're worried gas prices will rise this Labor Day weekend. The average price in the state for a gallon of gas is $3.53 - that's where it is in Oklahoma City - while Tulsa is a cent lower.

"It looks like heading south is going to be a little bit less expensive, it's $3.48 a gallon in Texas, a little bit more expensive if you go north about $3.56 a gallon in Kansas," said Danial Karnes, AAA Oklahoma.

He says it's not unusual for the price to rise on holidays because of the increase in demand. He also says the price of oil is fluctuating up and down right now, but the future wholesale price is expected to rise which, he says, should mean gas prices should be lower.

"All indicators would tell you that gas prices should be falling now, but they're not and there's no real reason as to why they're not," Karnes said.

Hurricane Irene also had the fuel industry holding its breath. The storm didn't knock out any refineries, but some had to close or suffered minor flooding.

Analysts say that could cause a crimp in the supply.

"National average prices are probably headed another 5-10 cents a gallon higher this week," said Tom Kloza of the Maryland-based Oil Price Information Services.

"But I think September will give way to slightly more temperate prices. Still, the 2011 year will clearly be the most expensive year for motor fuel on record, beating out 2008 by scores of billions of dollars."

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