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Oil Prices in 2005: WTI & Brent History and Monthly Averages

WTI average
$56.64
EIA annual average
WTI vs prior year
+36.4%
2004: $41.51
Brent average
$54.57
EIA annual average
Brent vs prior year
+42.6%
2004: $38.26

WTI averaged $56.64 per barrel in 2005, up $15.13 (36.4%) from 2004; that was the highest annual average since EIA's WTI series began in 1986, and the 4th consecutive annual increase.

Monthly average prices in 2005

Monthly averages and daily ranges, 2005 ($/bbl)
MonthWTI avgWTI highWTI lowBrent avgBrent − WTI (matched dates)WTI (September 2026 $)Brent (September 2026 $)
January$46.84$49.43$42.16$44.51−$2.61$82.76$78.64
February$48.15$52.20$45.35$45.48−$2.71$84.59$79.90
March$54.19$56.80$49.43$53.10−$1.08$94.46$92.56
April$52.98$57.26$49.20$51.88−$1.10$91.73$89.83
May$49.83$52.08$46.99$48.65−$1.22$86.37$84.32
June$56.35$59.78$52.51$54.35−$2.00$97.62$94.15
July$59.00$61.24$56.73$57.52−$1.46$101.74$99.19
August$64.99$69.91$60.76$63.98−$1.00$111.50$109.76
September$65.59$69.50$62.91$62.91−$2.74$111.17$106.62
October$62.26$65.36$59.80$58.54−$3.72$105.31$99.02
November$58.32$61.70$56.20$55.24−$2.88$99.45$94.19
December$59.41$61.36$57.31$56.86−$2.60$101.72$97.35

Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Brent − WTI is the average over dates with both prices published, so it can differ from the difference between the two monthly averages. Inflation-adjusted columns use CPI-U for each month, expressed in September 2026 dollars; “—” means CPI-U for that month is not available.

From $42.16 on Jan 3, 2005, WTI climbed to $69.91 by Aug 30, 2005, a 66% gain. The price finished the year 45% above its first 2005 close of $42.16. Second-half prices averaged $61.69, up from $51.54 in the first half. The steepest fall within the year ran from $69.91 on Aug 30, 2005 to $56.20 on Nov 17, 2005, a 20% drop.

Brent traded below WTI throughout 2005: its monthly average was lower in every month, and on the 249 matched dates it averaged $2.07 less. Brent averaged $54.57, up $16.31 (42.6%) from 2004.

The monthly average was lowest in January ($46.84) and highest in September ($65.59). In September 2026 dollars (CPI-U), the 2005 average is $97.72, higher than 2025's real average by $29.28 (42.8%). The 2000s as a whole averaged $51.10, so 2005 ran above its decade. Of 40 complete years with an EIA annual average, 2005 ranks 17th highest.

2005 summary statistics

MeasureWTIBrentBrent − WTI
Average$56.64$54.57−$2.07
Change vs 2004 average+$15.13+$16.31+$1.10
Highest daily price$69.91 Aug 30, 2005$67.26 Aug 12, 2005—
Lowest daily price$42.16 Jan 3, 2005$40.75 Jan 4, 2005—
Highest daily spread——+$2.65 Mar 24, 2005
Lowest daily spread——−$5.74 Oct 11, 2005
First observation$42.16 Jan 3, 2005$40.75 Jan 4, 2005—
Last observation$61.06 Dec 30, 2005$58.34 Dec 30, 2005—
Published daily observations251257249 matched
Average in September 2026 dollars$97.72$94.15—

Daily spot prices in 2005

Show all 259 dates (Jan 3, 2005 – Dec 30, 2005)
DateWTIBrentBrent − WTI
Jan 3, 2005$42.16——
Jan 4, 2005$43.96$40.75−$3.21
Jan 5, 2005$43.41$41.00−$2.41
Jan 6, 2005$45.51$43.25−$2.26
Jan 7, 2005$45.32$43.28−$2.04
Jan 10, 2005$45.31$44.71−$0.60
Jan 11, 2005$45.66$43.45−$2.21
Jan 12, 2005$46.46$43.75−$2.71
Jan 13, 2005$48.11$45.76−$2.35
Jan 14, 2005$48.41$45.26−$3.15
Jan 17, 2005—$45.10—
Jan 18, 2005$48.46$45.18−$3.28
Jan 19, 2005$47.61$45.16−$2.45
Jan 20, 2005$47.01$44.06−$2.95
Jan 21, 2005$48.31$45.88−$2.43
Jan 24, 2005$48.61$45.74−$2.87
Jan 25, 2005$49.43$46.14−$3.29
Jan 26, 2005$48.80$45.94−$2.86
Jan 27, 2005$48.80$46.51−$2.29
Jan 28, 2005$47.15$44.75−$2.40
Jan 31, 2005$48.25$44.51−$3.74
Feb 1, 2005$47.10$45.12−$1.98
Feb 2, 2005$46.65$44.17−$2.48
Feb 3, 2005$46.40$43.13−$3.27
Feb 4, 2005$46.45$43.26−$3.19
Feb 7, 2005$45.35$42.70−$2.65
Feb 8, 2005$45.40$42.79−$2.61
Feb 9, 2005$45.45$42.49−$2.96
Feb 10, 2005$47.05$44.04−$3.01
Feb 11, 2005$47.15$44.41−$2.74
Feb 14, 2005$47.50$44.51−$2.99
Feb 15, 2005$47.30$44.91−$2.39
Feb 16, 2005$48.35$45.42−$2.93
Feb 17, 2005$47.50$45.42−$2.08
Feb 18, 2005$48.45$45.86−$2.59
Feb 21, 2005—$46.09—
Feb 22, 2005$51.00$47.60−$3.40
Feb 23, 2005$51.73$48.16−$3.57
Feb 24, 2005$52.05$49.24−$2.81
Feb 25, 2005$52.20$50.05−$2.15
Feb 28, 2005$51.75$50.13−$1.62
Mar 1, 2005$51.67$50.47−$1.20
Mar 2, 2005$53.00$51.05−$1.95
Mar 3, 2005$53.60$52.89−$0.71
Mar 4, 2005$53.70$52.10−$1.60
Mar 7, 2005$53.90$51.87−$2.03
Mar 8, 2005$54.55$53.29−$1.26
Mar 9, 2005$54.75$54.11−$0.64
Mar 10, 2005$53.52$53.04−$0.48
Mar 11, 2005$54.40$53.15−$1.25
Mar 14, 2005$54.90$53.68−$1.22
Mar 15, 2005$55.05$53.97−$1.08
Mar 16, 2005$56.50$54.61−$1.89
Mar 17, 2005$56.40$56.03−$0.37
Mar 18, 2005$56.80$55.97−$0.83
Mar 21, 2005$56.70$55.79−$0.91
Mar 22, 2005$55.95$55.39−$0.56
Mar 23, 2005$49.43$51.52+$2.09
Mar 24, 2005$49.70$52.35+$2.65
Mar 28, 2005$54.06$51.75−$2.31
Mar 29, 2005$54.26$51.42−$2.84
Mar 30, 2005$53.96$50.63−$3.33
Mar 31, 2005$55.31$53.22−$2.09
Apr 1, 2005$57.26$54.14−$3.12
Apr 4, 2005$56.86$55.92−$0.94
Apr 5, 2005$55.83$54.53−$1.30
Apr 6, 2005$55.88$54.08−$1.80
Apr 7, 2005$54.16$52.57−$1.59
Apr 8, 2005$53.46$51.83−$1.63
Apr 11, 2005$53.71$51.21−$2.50
Apr 12, 2005$51.54$51.53−$0.01
Apr 13, 2005$50.21$49.67−$0.54
Apr 14, 2005$51.11$50.21−$0.90
Apr 15, 2005$50.61$49.52−$1.09
Apr 18, 2005$50.52$48.58−$1.94
Apr 19, 2005$52.33$50.79−$1.54
Apr 20, 2005$52.45$51.53−$0.92
Apr 21, 2005$52.49$51.73−$0.76
Apr 22, 2005$54.16$53.51−$0.65
Apr 25, 2005$53.16$53.10−$0.06
Apr 26, 2005$54.33$52.47−$1.86
Apr 27, 2005$51.37$51.29−$0.08
Apr 28, 2005$51.92$50.74−$1.18
Apr 29, 2005$49.20$50.61+$1.41
May 2, 2005$50.94$50.89−$0.05
May 3, 2005$49.60$49.48−$0.12
May 4, 2005$50.22$50.36+$0.14
May 5, 2005$51.12$49.81−$1.31
May 6, 2005$51.30$49.70−$1.60
May 9, 2005$52.04$49.71−$2.33
May 10, 2005$51.76$50.61−$1.15
May 11, 2005$50.39$48.91−$1.48
May 12, 2005$48.83$47.40−$1.43
May 13, 2005$48.65$46.85−$1.80
May 16, 2005$48.64$46.42−$2.22
May 17, 2005$48.97$47.31−$1.66
May 18, 2005$46.99$47.35+$0.36
May 19, 2005$47.00$46.92−$0.08
May 20, 2005$47.25$46.91−$0.34
May 23, 2005$48.68$47.28−$1.40
May 24, 2005$49.14$47.29−$1.85
May 25, 2005$50.37$49.24−$1.13
May 26, 2005$50.89$49.71−$1.18
May 27, 2005$51.65$49.42−$2.23
May 30, 2005—$49.33—
May 31, 2005$52.08$49.30−$2.78
Jun 1, 2005$54.40$50.46−$3.94
Jun 2, 2005$53.46$51.30−$2.16
Jun 3, 2005$55.08$51.90−$3.18
Jun 6, 2005$54.46$52.61−$1.85
Jun 7, 2005$53.84$51.62−$2.22
Jun 8, 2005$52.51$51.92−$0.59
Jun 9, 2005$54.36$51.36−$3.00
Jun 10, 2005$53.55$51.98−$1.57
Jun 13, 2005$55.47$52.00−$3.47
Jun 14, 2005$55.03$53.52−$1.51
Jun 15, 2005$55.53$54.12−$1.41
Jun 16, 2005$56.48$54.30−$2.18
Jun 17, 2005$58.40$56.92−$1.48
Jun 20, 2005$59.19$57.10−$2.09
Jun 21, 2005$58.90$57.36−$1.54
Jun 22, 2005$58.27$56.06−$2.21
Jun 23, 2005$59.23$57.03−$2.20
Jun 24, 2005$59.63$57.21−$2.42
Jun 27, 2005$59.78$58.50−$1.28
Jun 28, 2005$58.32$57.75−$0.57
Jun 29, 2005$57.23$55.42−$1.81
Jun 30, 2005$56.63$55.36−$1.27
Jul 1, 2005$59.11$56.41−$2.70
Jul 4, 2005—$57.13—
Jul 5, 2005$59.71$57.86−$1.85
Jul 6, 2005$61.24$58.38−$2.86
Jul 7, 2005$60.76$57.55−$3.21
Jul 8, 2005$59.71$59.00−$0.71
Jul 11, 2005$59.23$56.10−$3.13
Jul 12, 2005$60.49$58.95−$1.54
Jul 13, 2005$60.00$58.33−$1.67
Jul 14, 2005$57.83$56.79−$1.04
Jul 15, 2005$58.36$56.98−$1.38
Jul 18, 2005$57.12$56.25−$0.87
Jul 19, 2005$57.61$56.75−$0.86
Jul 20, 2005$56.73$56.39−$0.34
Jul 21, 2005$57.31$55.59−$1.72
Jul 22, 2005$57.75$56.98−$0.77
Jul 25, 2005$58.16$57.51−$0.65
Jul 26, 2005$59.05$58.58−$0.47
Jul 27, 2005$59.12$58.34−$0.78
Jul 28, 2005$59.91$58.28−$1.63
Jul 29, 2005$60.71$59.77−$0.94
Aug 1, 2005$61.51$60.56−$0.95
Aug 2, 2005$61.87$60.13−$1.74
Aug 3, 2005$60.76$60.04−$0.72
Aug 4, 2005$61.60$60.62−$0.98
Aug 5, 2005$62.44$60.73−$1.71
Aug 8, 2005$63.92$62.56−$1.36
Aug 9, 2005$63.13$62.79−$0.34
Aug 10, 2005$64.80$63.77−$1.03
Aug 11, 2005$65.67$65.90+$0.23
Aug 12, 2005$66.71$67.26+$0.55
Aug 15, 2005$66.21$66.68+$0.47
Aug 16, 2005$66.11$65.10−$1.01
Aug 17, 2005$63.29$63.41+$0.12
Aug 18, 2005$63.47$61.75−$1.72
Aug 19, 2005$65.51$64.21−$1.30
Aug 22, 2005$65.46$65.87+$0.41
Aug 23, 2005$65.81$65.16−$0.65
Aug 24, 2005$67.10$65.25−$1.85
Aug 25, 2005$67.29$65.88−$1.41
Aug 26, 2005$66.05$66.23+$0.18
Aug 29, 2005$67.41$64.77−$2.64
Aug 30, 2005$69.91$66.15−$3.76
Aug 31, 2005$68.63$66.80−$1.83
Sep 1, 2005$69.50$66.79−$2.71
Sep 2, 2005$66.91$65.95−$0.96
Sep 5, 2005—$64.16—
Sep 6, 2005$65.83$64.16−$1.67
Sep 7, 2005$64.38$63.60−$0.78
Sep 8, 2005$64.80$61.66−$3.14
Sep 9, 2005$64.21$62.62−$1.59
Sep 12, 2005$63.29$60.69−$2.60
Sep 13, 2005$63.18$61.31−$1.87
Sep 14, 2005$65.20$61.70−$3.50
Sep 15, 2005$64.64$61.90−$2.74
Sep 16, 2005$62.91$60.48−$2.43
Sep 19, 2005$67.21$64.04−$3.17
Sep 20, 2005$66.24$62.98−$3.26
Sep 21, 2005$66.96$64.31−$2.65
Sep 22, 2005$67.07$64.64−$2.43
Sep 23, 2005$64.67$62.17−$2.50
Sep 26, 2005$65.98$61.73−$4.25
Sep 27, 2005$64.94$62.56−$2.38
Sep 28, 2005$66.36$62.81−$3.55
Sep 29, 2005$66.83$62.02−$4.81
Sep 30, 2005$66.21$61.70−$4.51
Oct 3, 2005$65.36$61.64−$3.72
Oct 4, 2005$63.74$59.17−$4.57
Oct 5, 2005$62.56$59.33−$3.23
Oct 6, 2005$61.81$57.20−$4.61
Oct 7, 2005$61.81$57.29−$4.52
Oct 10, 2005$60.71$57.01−$3.70
Oct 11, 2005$63.84$58.10−$5.74
Oct 12, 2005$64.13$59.91−$4.22
Oct 13, 2005$63.05$59.48−$3.57
Oct 14, 2005$62.61$58.45−$4.16
Oct 17, 2005$64.26$59.81−$4.45
Oct 18, 2005$62.94$58.85−$4.09
Oct 19, 2005$62.11$58.13−$3.98
Oct 20, 2005$61.04$57.04−$4.00
Oct 21, 2005$61.05$56.94−$4.11
Oct 24, 2005$60.63$57.64−$2.99
Oct 25, 2005$62.83$58.72−$4.11
Oct 26, 2005$60.85$58.56−$2.29
Oct 27, 2005$61.03$58.10−$2.93
Oct 28, 2005$61.30$59.47−$1.83
Oct 31, 2005$59.80$58.47−$1.33
Nov 1, 2005$59.85$56.69−$3.16
Nov 2, 2005$59.75$58.53−$1.22
Nov 3, 2005$61.70$59.55−$2.15
Nov 4, 2005$60.60$60.48−$0.12
Nov 7, 2005$59.40$58.19−$1.21
Nov 8, 2005$59.70$57.89−$1.81
Nov 9, 2005$59.65$57.71−$1.94
Nov 10, 2005$57.80$55.85−$1.95
Nov 11, 2005$57.45$54.30−$3.15
Nov 14, 2005$57.60$54.10−$3.50
Nov 15, 2005$57.05$54.45−$2.60
Nov 16, 2005$57.85$53.68−$4.17
Nov 17, 2005$56.20$53.80−$2.40
Nov 18, 2005$56.30$52.84−$3.46
Nov 21, 2005$57.75$53.36−$4.39
Nov 22, 2005$58.30$54.21−$4.09
Nov 23, 2005$58.35$53.73−$4.62
Nov 24, 2005—$53.41—
Nov 25, 2005—$53.15—
Nov 28, 2005$57.36$52.91−$4.45
Nov 29, 2005$56.46$53.24−$3.22
Nov 30, 2005$57.33$53.25−$4.08
Dec 1, 2005$58.46$53.65−$4.81
Dec 2, 2005$59.31$54.91−$4.40
Dec 5, 2005$59.91$56.05−$3.86
Dec 6, 2005$59.96$55.68−$4.28
Dec 7, 2005$59.21$55.17−$4.04
Dec 8, 2005$60.66$56.26−$4.40
Dec 9, 2005$59.41$57.18−$2.23
Dec 12, 2005$61.36$57.23−$4.13
Dec 13, 2005$61.36$59.16−$2.20
Dec 14, 2005$60.86$59.59−$1.27
Dec 15, 2005$60.01$59.67−$0.34
Dec 16, 2005$58.01$58.11+$0.10
Dec 19, 2005$57.31$56.09−$1.22
Dec 20, 2005$57.81$56.08−$1.73
Dec 21, 2005$58.56$56.05−$2.51
Dec 22, 2005$58.08$57.30−$0.78
Dec 23, 2005$58.08$56.28−$1.80
Dec 26, 2005—$56.54—
Dec 27, 2005$58.16——
Dec 28, 2005$59.81$56.91−$2.90
Dec 29, 2005$60.26$57.72−$2.54
Dec 30, 2005$61.06$58.34−$2.72

“—” means EIA published no price for that benchmark on that date.

Source and methodology

ProviderSeriesUnitsCoverageLatest observation
U.S. Energy Information AdministrationRWTC — WTI spot price FOB$/bblJan 3, 2005 – Dec 30, 2005Dec 30, 2005
U.S. Energy Information AdministrationRBRTE — Brent spot price FOB$/bblJan 4, 2005 – Dec 30, 2005Dec 30, 2005
U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSAindex, 1982–84=100monthly and annual averageSeptember 2026

Inflation adjustment: real = nominal × CPI-U(September 2026) ÷ CPI-U(period). Annual figures use the BLS annual average CPI-U; a year without one uses the mean of the months published so far.

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:2005 daily prices (CSV)