Oil Prices in the 2000s: WTI & Brent Decade Averages
The 2000s include the highest daily WTI spot price in EIA's records, $145.31 on Jul 3, 2008. Across the 2000s, WTI averaged $51.10 per barrel, the mean of 120 monthly averages; that is higher by $31.39 (159.3%) than the 1990s.
By year, the highest WTI average was $99.67 in 2008 and the lowest $25.98 in 2001. The sharpest annual decline came in 2009, down $37.72, larger than the biggest increase, up $27.33 in 2008. Daily prices ranged from $17.50 (Nov 15, 2001) to $145.31 (Jul 3, 2008).
Annual average prices, 2000s
| Year | WTI avg | vs prior year | WTI high | WTI low | Brent avg | Brent − WTI | WTI (September 2026 $) | Brent (September 2026 $) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $30.38 | — | $37.22 | $23.91 | $28.66 | −$1.82 | $59.44 | $56.08 |
| 2001 | $25.98 | −14.5% | $32.21 | $17.50 | $24.46 | −$1.52 | $49.43 | $46.54 |
| 2002 | $26.18 | +0.8% | $32.68 | $18.02 | $24.99 | −$1.14 | $49.03 | $46.80 |
| 2003 | $31.08 | +18.7% | $37.96 | $25.25 | $28.85 | −$2.23 | $56.91 | $52.83 |
| 2004 | $41.51 | +33.6% | $56.37 | $32.49 | $38.26 | −$3.17 | $74.04 | $68.24 |
| 2005 | $56.64 | +36.4% | $69.91 | $42.16 | $54.57 | −$2.07 | $97.72 | $94.15 |
| 2006 | $66.05 | +16.6% | $77.05 | $55.90 | $65.16 | −$0.92 | $110.39 | $108.90 |
| 2007 | $72.34 | +9.5% | $99.16 | $50.51 | $72.44 | +$0.15 | $117.56 | $117.72 |
| 2008 | $99.67 | +37.8% | $145.31 | $30.28 | $96.94 | −$2.73 | $155.98 | $151.71 |
| 2009 | $61.95 | −37.8% | $81.03 | $34.03 | $61.74 | −$0.21 | $97.30 | $96.97 |
Brent averaged $49.54 over 120 months. On 2,492 dates with both prices published, Brent was on average $1.57 below WTI.
In September 2026 dollars, using CPI-U month by month, the decade's WTI average is about $86.55 per barrel.
Compared with adjacent decades
| Decade | WTI average | WTI (September 2026 $) | Brent average | Highest WTI | Date | Lowest WTI | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | $19.70 | $44.79 | $18.33 | $41.07 | Oct 11, 1990 | $10.82 | Dec 10, 1998 |
| 2000s | $51.10 | $86.55 | $49.54 | $145.31 | Jul 3, 2008 | $17.50 | Nov 15, 2001 |
| 2010s | $72.42 | $103.91 | $79.57 | $113.39 | Apr 29, 2011 | $26.19 | Feb 11, 2016 |
Decade averages are the mean of monthly averages (EIA's published monthly figures where available). Real values adjust each month with that month's CPI-U; months without published CPI-U are omitted from the real average.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB | $/bbl | Jan 4, 2000 – Dec 31, 2009 | Dec 31, 2009 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB | $/bbl | Jan 4, 2000 – Dec 31, 2009 | Dec 31, 2009 |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSA | index, 1982–84=100 | monthly and annual average | September 2026 |
Last updated: Oct 21, 2026, 5:27 PM CDT. Raw values are shown in source units; any conversion is labeled. See methodology and data sources.
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