Gas prices decline across nation, state

Gas prices have declined over the past two weeks, dropping by 21 cents a gallon as of Monday, April 4, from the state’s record high of $4.011 reached on March 11. The average price of regular unleaded in Texas is currently about $3.80 a gallon.
According to the American Automobile Association, the state’s average remains significantly below the national average, which is $4.189.
In Burnet County, the average cost of regular unleaded fuel was $3.776 per gallon on April 4, according to AAA. The average price was slightly higher in Llano County at $3.873.
Both the national and statewide price decreases are a significant shift from the recent spikes seen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted the global oil supply.
According to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.com, rates are decreasing partially because of the rise of COVID-19 cases overseas as well as the release of oil from the United States’ national reserves.
“Oil prices fell last week as COVID cases in China surged, prompting restrictions on movements and hurting oil demand,” De Haan wrote in a GasBuddy.com blog post. “Meanwhile, President Biden’s announcement that the U.S. would be releasing 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve caused an even further decline in oil (demand), leading gas prices in nearly all areas of the country to fall over the last week.”
GasBuddy is an organization that has provided users with gas prices and station-level data for nearly two decades.
On March 31, the Biden administration authorized additional releases from the nation’s Strategic Oil Reserve in an attempt to lower gas prices. As a result, an average of 1 million barrels of oil will be released into the market every day for the next six months, equaling just over 180 million barrels.
This decision follows a March 8 executive order to ban the import of all Russian oil, gas, and energy to the U.S. as well as emergency reserve sales authorized March 1.
The reserve, which is used in the case of national emergencies and unplanned disruptions in the oil industry, held 580 million barrels on Feb. 25 of this year.
Here are Highland Lakes gas prices for April 4:
H-E-B, 1503 RR 1431 West in Marble Falls
- Regular: $3.61
- Midgrade: $3.86
- Premium: $4.15
- Diesel: $4.79
Walmart, 2700 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls
- Regular: $3.59
- Midgrade: $3.84
- Premium: $4.14
- Diesel: $4.75
Wakepoint LBJ, 14757 RR 1431 West in Kingsland
- Regular: $3.69
- Midgrade: $3.78
- Premium: $3.88
- Diesel: $4.78
Circle K/Valero, 101 N. Water St. in Burnet
- Regular: $3.59
- Midgrade: $3.99
- Premium: $4.39
- Diesel: $4.79
Average gas prices can fluctuate on a daily basis.
Here are the current gas prices for neighboring areas based on reports from GasBuddy:
- Midland Odessa: $3.892 a gallon
- San Antonio: $3.701 a gallon
- Austin: $3.782 a gallon