Warfare, Weather Push Gas Prices Up

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma's statewide average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline moved to $2.88 Thursday, its highest point since hitting $2.959 on Sept. 9, 2005, in the wake of

Thursday, July 27th 2006, 12:08 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma's statewide average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline moved to $2.88 Thursday, its highest point since hitting $2.959 on Sept. 9, 2005, in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to AAA.

The auto club also reports the national average gas price is currently more than $3 per gallon. Thursdays AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows gas nationwide at $3.006, the highest price since it was at $3.018, also recorded on Sept. 9.

"These pump price increases reflect higher crude oil prices, resulting from the recent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah," said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. "But they also are being affected by the storm-related shutdown of the ConocoPhillips 306,000-barrel-per-day refinery near St. Louis. Fuel distributors that normally rely on that refinery are bidding up prices elsewhere to make up the difference."

The all-time high price average in Oklahoma is $3.030, recorded on Sept. 4, 2005. The nationwide record was set Sept. 5, 2005, when the price average hit $3.057.