Oil Prices in December 2010: WTI & Brent Daily Prices and Monthly Average
At $89.15 per barrel, December 2010's WTI average was the highest monthly average in nominal terms since September 2008, up $4.90 (5.8%) from November 2010. A year earlier, in December 2009, it averaged $74.47, so the price was higher by $14.68 (19.7%) year over year.
Daily spot prices, December 2010
Chart data table (22 rows)
| Period | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2010 | $91.38 | $93.23 |
| Dec 30, 2010 | $89.85 | $92.50 |
| Dec 29, 2010 | $91.13 | $93.52 |
| Dec 28, 2010 | $91.48 | $93.52 |
| Dec 27, 2010 | $90.99 | $93.08 |
| Dec 23, 2010 | $90.84 | $93.63 |
| Dec 22, 2010 | $89.83 | $93.55 |
| Dec 21, 2010 | $89.30 | $93.11 |
| Dec 20, 2010 | $88.68 | $91.31 |
| Dec 17, 2010 | $88.02 | $91.11 |
| Dec 16, 2010 | $87.71 | $91.09 |
| Dec 15, 2010 | $88.66 | $91.33 |
| Dec 14, 2010 | $88.33 | $90.63 |
| Dec 13, 2010 | $88.62 | $90.40 |
| Dec 10, 2010 | $87.81 | $89.54 |
| Dec 9, 2010 | $88.35 | $89.93 |
| Dec 8, 2010 | $88.30 | $89.74 |
| Dec 7, 2010 | $88.69 | $90.78 |
| Dec 6, 2010 | $89.33 | $91.25 |
| Dec 3, 2010 | $89.18 | $90.65 |
| Dec 2, 2010 | $87.98 | $89.37 |
| Dec 1, 2010 | $86.75 | $88.56 |
Prices rose over the month, from $86.75 on Dec 1, 2010 to $91.38 on Dec 31, 2010, with gains on 15 of 22 trading days.
Brent averaged $91.45; its premium over WTI on matched dates averaged $2.30, with the daily Brent − WTI difference ranging from +$1.39 to +$3.81.
It was the highest monthly average of 2010. Adjusted with CPI-U, the December 2010 average equals $137.05 in September 2026 dollars.
December 2010 summary
| Measure | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly average | $89.15 | $91.45 |
| Change vs November 2010 | +$4.90 | +$6.17 |
| Change vs December 2009 | +$14.68 | +$16.99 |
| Highest daily price | $91.48 Dec 28, 2010 | $93.63 Dec 23, 2010 |
| Lowest daily price | $86.75 Dec 1, 2010 | $88.56 Dec 1, 2010 |
| Published daily observations | 22 | 22 |
| Average in September 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $137.05 | $140.58 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for December 2010.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | Dec 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010 | Dec 31, 2010 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | Dec 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010 | Dec 31, 2010 |
| 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:2010 daily prices (CSV)