Oil refinery explosion could add to gas price woes

IN TEXAS. COULD IT LEAD TO EVEN HIGHER GAS PRICES. COULD IT LEAD TO EVEN HIGHER GAS PRICES ALREADY SURGING. HIGHER GAS PRICES ALREADY Y SURGING BECAUSE OF THE WAR. BECAUSE OF THE WAR WITH IRAN? PRISCILLA THOMPSON IS. WITHTH IRAN? PRISCILLA THOMPSON IS ON THE GROUND IN. ON THE GROUND IN TEXAS. >> LOOK AT THE. TEXAS. >> LOOK AT THE FLARES. >> LOOK AT THE FLARESES. >> Reporter: BRIGHT. FLARES. >> Reporter: B BRIGHT ORANGE FLAMES SEEN. >> Repororter: BRIGHT ORANGE FLAMES SEEN HERE RAGING AT ONE OF. ORANGE FLAMES SEEN HERE RAGING AT ONE OF THE LARGEST OIL. E. THE LARGEST OIL REFINERIES I IN THE U.S. REFINERIES IN THE U.S. >> HUGE EXPLOSION. U.S. >> HUGE EXPLOSION. >> Reporter: THICK. >> HUGE EXPLOSION. >> Reporter:r: THICK BLACK CLOUDS OF SMOKE. BLACK CLOUDS OF SMOKE FILLING THE SKY OVER PORT ARTHUR, T TEXAS. FILLING THE SKY OVER PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.. >> THE THOUGHT THAT. PORT ARTHUR, TEXEXAS. >> THE THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MIND WAS. >> THE THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MIND WAS SOMEONE MAY HAVE. CAME TO MIND WAS SOMEONE E MAY HAVE DROPPED A BOMB. DROPPED A BOMB. THAT'S WHAT IT FELT LIKE. LIKE. >> Reporter: AS A MASSIVE INFERNO. >> Reporter: AS A MASSIVE INFERNO ENGULFED P PART OF THIS.

MASSIVE INFERNO ENGULFED PART OF THIS VALERO PLANT MONONDAY. ENGULFED PART OF THIS VALERO PLANT MONDAY NIGHT. VALERO PLANT MONONDAY NIGHT. >> BE ADVISED IT WAS. NIGHT. >> BE ADVISED IT WAS A HEATER EXPLODED. >> BE ADVISED IT WAS A HEATER EXPLODED. >> Reporter: A. A HEATER EXPLODED. >> Repororter: A SHELTER IN PLACE HAS. SHELTER IN PLACE HAS BEEN LIFTED.D. PORT ARTHUR'S MAYOR. BEEN LIFTED. PORT ARTHUR'S MAYOR TRYINGNG TO REASSURE A. PORT ARTHUR'S MAYOR TRYING TO REASSURERE A COMMUNITY ON EDGE. TRYING TO REASSURE A COMMUNITY ON EDGE. >> IT WASN'T A. COMMUNITY ON EDGE. >> IT WASN'T A TERRORISIST THREAT. >> IT WASN'T'T A TERRORIST THREAT. ONE OF THE UNITS JUST. TERRORIST THREAT. ONE OF THE UNITSTS JUST EXPLODED. EXPLODED. >> Reporter: VALERO SAYING A ALL PERSONNEL. SAYING ALL PERSONNEL ARE ACCOUNTED FOR, AND THERE ARARE NO. ARE ACCOUNTED FOR, AND THERE ARE NO RECORDABLE INJURIES. AND THERE ARE NO RECORDABLE INJNJURIES BUT NOT SAYING WHEN. BUT NOT SAYING WHEN THE PLANT WILL BE FUFULLY OPERATIONAL. THE PLANT WILL BE FULLY OPERATIONAL. ANALYSTS TELL NBC. FULLY OPOPERATIONAL. ANALYSTS TELL NBC NEWS IF IT REMAINS.

NEWS IF IT REMAINS OFF LINE FOR WEEKS, GAS PRICES COULD SOAR. OFF LINE FOR WEEKS, GAS PRICES COULD SOAR EVEN HIGHER. GAS PRICES COULD SOAR EVEN HIGHER. A GALLON OF REGULAR. EVEN HIGHER. A GALLON OF REGULAR GAS NOW UP A FULL. A GALLON OF REGULAR GAS NOW UP A FULL DOLLAR SINCE THE WAR. GAS NOW UP A FULL DOLLAR SINCECE THE WAR WITH IRAN BEGAN. DOLLAR SINCE THE WAR WITH IRAN BEGAN. SOME RESORORTING TO. WITH IRAN BEGAN. SOME RESORTING TO THEFT. THEFT. A MAN CAUGHT ON CAMERA APPEARING TO. A MAN CAUGHT ON CAMERA APPEARING TO FLEE AFTER S STEALING. CAMERA APPEARING TO FLEE AFTER STEALING GAS FROM DIAMOND. FLEE AFTER STEALING GAS FROMOM DIAMOND LEARNING CENTER IN. GAS FROM DIAMOND LEARNING CENTER IN CALIFORNIA, STAFF. CALIFORNIA, STAFF THERE SAY. THE CEO OF UNITED. THERE SAY. THE CEO OF UNITED D AIRLINES WARNING WITH. AIRLINES WARNING WITH OIL PRICES WHERE THEY ARE, AIR FARE COULD. OIL PRICES WHERE THEY ARE, AIR FARARE COULD BE NEXT TO TAKE OFF. ARE, AIR FARE COULD D BE NEXT TO TAKE OFF. >> THAT WOULD REQUIRE. BE N NEXT TO TAKE OFF. >> THAT WOULD REQUIRE PRICES TO BE UP 20%. >> THAT WOULD REQUIREE PRICES TO BE UP 20% TO BREAK EVEN. , TO BREAK EVEN. >> Reporter: AND TOM, THIS P PLANT PROCESSES.

>> Reporter: AND TOM, THIS PLANT PROCESSES 435,000 BARRELS OF. THIS PLANT PROCESSES 435,000 BARRELS OF OIL PER DAY, FOR. 435,000 BARRELS OF OIL PER DAY, FOR GASOLINE, DIESEL, ANAND. OIL PER DAY, FOR GASOLINE, DIESESEL, AND JET FUEL.