A 1% gain for crude oil prices on Thursday sent them to their highest closing levels since Dec. 1, 2022 while Oklahoma energy stocks recorded gains.
Prices rallied around increased demand by China even as there was a reported second straight week of increasing U.S. crude inventories.
West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.15 on an 85-cent gain per barrel to close at $80.33 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Global benchmark Brent crude gained $1.18 or 1.4% to settle at $86.16 per barrel in trading on ICE Futures Europe.
February natural gas fell 3 cents to $3.28 per 1,000 cubic feet.
As for oil demands by China, they grew by nearly 1 million barrels a day from the previous month to 15.41 million barrels a day in November.
Thursday was a solid day for most Oklahoma energy stocks as many recorded 2% and 3% gains including 5% bumps for Gulfport Energy and Laredo Petroleum.
Other energy stocks had a strong day in trading according to the Texas Energy Report.
APA Corp. (Apache) (APA) up 1.10 at 45.16 – change 2.49%
Cheniere (LNG) down 0.78 at 150.59 – change 0.52%
Chevron (CVX) up 1.77 at 179.00 – change 0.99%
ConocoPhillips (COP) up 1.09 at 119.64 – change 0.91%
Diamondback Energy (FANG) up 2.33 at 146.43 – change 1.61%
Energy Transfer LP (ET) up 0.09 at 12.60 – change 0.71%
Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) up 0.35 at 25.49 – change 1.39%
EOG Resources (EOG) up 2.50 at 131.29 – change 1.94%
ExxonMobil (XOM) up 0.71 at 111.32 – change 0.64%
Kinder Morgan (KMI) up 0.39 at 18.75 – change 2.12%
Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) up 0.51 at 27.39 – change 1.89%
NOV Inc. (NOV) down 0.29 at 22.51 – change 1.28%
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) up 1.25 at 65.67 – change 1.94%
Phillips 66 (PSX) up 1.67 at 104.38 – change 1.62%
Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) up 4.41 at 238.88 – change 1.88%
Tellurian Inc. (TELL) down 0.03 at 1.89 – change 1.57%
Valero (VLO) up 2.95 at 138.47 – change 2.17%
CLOSING TOP UTILITY STOCKS
American Electric Power (AEP) down 0.82 at 91.63 – change 0.89%
CenterPoint (CNP) down 0.11 at 30.28 – change 0.37%
Entergy (ETR) down 0.59 at 107.00 – change 0.55%