Oil Prices in December 2002: WTI & Brent Daily Prices and Monthly Average
WTI jumped in December 2002: the monthly average rose to $29.46, up $3.11 (11.8%) from November 2002. The average was 52% above the $19.39 of December 2001.
Daily spot prices, December 2002
Chart data table (21 rows)
| Period | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2002 | $31.21 | $30.12 |
| Dec 30, 2002 | $31.41 | $32.02 |
| Dec 27, 2002 | $32.68 | $31.49 |
| Dec 26, 2002 | $32.61 | — |
| Dec 24, 2002 | $32.13 | $30.93 |
| Dec 23, 2002 | $32.09 | $30.61 |
| Dec 20, 2002 | $30.57 | $29.59 |
| Dec 19, 2002 | $30.57 | $30.26 |
| Dec 18, 2002 | $30.41 | $29.95 |
| Dec 17, 2002 | $30.04 | $29.25 |
| Dec 16, 2002 | $30.15 | $28.73 |
| Dec 13, 2002 | $28.39 | $27.64 |
| Dec 12, 2002 | $28.20 | $27.29 |
| Dec 11, 2002 | $27.49 | $26.85 |
| Dec 10, 2002 | $27.73 | $26.35 |
| Dec 9, 2002 | $27.29 | $26.06 |
| Dec 6, 2002 | $27.03 | $25.67 |
| Dec 5, 2002 | $27.27 | $26.07 |
| Dec 4, 2002 | $26.80 | $25.99 |
| Dec 3, 2002 | $27.34 | $26.09 |
| Dec 2, 2002 | $27.27 | $25.73 |
Prices rose over the month, from $27.27 on Dec 2, 2002 to $31.21 on Dec 31, 2002, with gains on 14 of 20 trading days. The largest one-day move was +$1.76 on Dec 16, 2002 (+6.2%).
Brent averaged $28.33, within a dollar of WTI on average across the 20 dates when both were published.
It was the second-highest monthly average of 2002. Adjusted with CPI-U, the December 2002 average equals $54.87 in September 2026 dollars.
December 2002 summary
| Measure | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly average | $29.46 | $28.33 |
| Change vs November 2002 | +$3.11 | +$3.99 |
| Change vs December 2001 | +$10.07 | +$9.62 |
| Highest daily price | $32.68 Dec 27, 2002 | $32.02 Dec 30, 2002 |
| Lowest daily price | $26.80 Dec 4, 2002 | $25.67 Dec 6, 2002 |
| Published daily observations | 21 | 20 |
| Average in September 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $54.87 | $52.77 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for December 2002.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | Dec 2, 2002 – Dec 31, 2002 | Dec 31, 2002 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | Dec 2, 2002 – Dec 31, 2002 | Dec 31, 2002 |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSA | index, 1982–84=100 | monthly | 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.
Download:2002 daily prices (CSV)