Gas prices are cheap in Fort Worth, for those of us who actually have somewhere to go
Fort Worth-area residents who are stuck at home because of the coronavirus may be surprised by the price of gasoline next time they fill up.
A gallon of regular unleaded gas can be had for as little as $1.19 a gallon. That was the price for Lisa’s Fuel Stop at 24th Street and Ephriham Avenue in north Fort Worth, according to the crowd-sourced website Gas Buddy.
Many other stations in the Fort Worth and Arlington areas were selling gas for $1.29 to $1.37.
“Until crude oil prices and gasoline demand increase, cheaper gas prices are likely here for the foreseeable future,” AAA Texas spokesman Daniel Armbruster said in an email. “Today, motorists can find gas for $1.99 or less at 68% of gas stations across the country. AAA expects gas prices to keep dropping as cheap crude combines with the realities of people staying home and less demand for gas.”
Statewide, the average price in Texas is $1.70 for a gallon, AAA says. That’s 10 cents cheaper than the average price last week, and 72 cents per gallon less than the same time a year ago.
Fort Worth’s average price is $1.57 a gallon. The cheapest average price is $1.32 in Sherman/Denison, and the highest cost is $1.94 in Midland.
The lack of demand for fuel caused by COVID-19 isn’t the only culprit. Saudi Arabia and Russia are involved in a price dispute that has dropped the price of crude oil, the raw material needed to make gasoline, to about $20 a barrel, its lowest level since 2002.
Before the dispute erupted, crude oil had been selling for about $56 per barrel.
Also, the U.S. still has a large amount of winter-blend gasoline still available for this time of year.
The Environmental Protection Agency extended the sale of winter-blend gas past the usual May 1 deadline to May 20, and may further extend the deadline, AAA says.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 12:39 PM.
