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Oil Prices in 2020: WTI & Brent History and Monthly Averages

WTI average
$39.16
EIA annual average
WTI vs prior year
−31.3%
2019: $57.00
Brent average
$41.96
EIA annual average
Brent vs prior year
−34.7%
2019: $64.30

On Apr 20, 2020, WTI settled at −$36.98, the only negative price in EIA's daily record. WTI averaged $39.16 per barrel in 2020, down $17.84 (31.3%) from 2019; that was the lowest annual average since 2003.

Monthly average prices in 2020

Monthly averages and daily ranges, 2020 ($/bbl)
MonthWTI avgWTI highWTI lowBrent avgBrent − WTI (matched dates)WTI (September 2026 $)Brent (September 2026 $)
January$57.52$63.27$51.58$63.65+$6.08$75.13$83.13
February$50.54$53.77$44.83$55.66+$5.00$65.83$72.50
March$29.21$47.27$14.10$32.01+$2.80$38.13$41.79
April$16.55$28.36−$36.98$18.38+$2.12$21.75$24.15
May$28.56$35.57$19.72$29.38+$0.61$37.53$38.61
June$38.31$40.60$35.49$40.27+$1.96$50.07$52.63
July$40.71$41.88$39.64$43.24+$2.55$52.94$56.23
August$42.34$43.21$40.83$44.74+$2.41$54.89$58.00
September$39.63$42.76$36.87$40.91+$1.29$51.30$52.96
October$39.40$41.37$35.64$40.19+$0.79$50.98$52.01
November$40.94$45.58$36.60$42.69+$1.34$53.01$55.27
December$47.02$49.04$44.54$49.99+$2.97$60.82$64.67

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.

The steepest fall within the year ran from $63.27 on Jan 6, 2020 to −$36.98 on Apr 20, 2020. The price moved by 5% or more in a single day 42 times. The largest one-day move was −$55.29 on Apr 20, 2020, the largest daily dollar move in the record. Between February and March the monthly average fell $21.33, the largest month-to-month change of the year.

Brent averaged $41.96, down $22.34 (34.7%) from 2019, with daily prices from $9.12 to $70.25; on 249 matched dates it was on average $2.49 above WTI.

Monthly averages peaked early, at $57.52 in January, and bottomed at $16.55 in April. In September 2026 dollars (CPI-U), the 2020 average is $50.98, lower than 2025's real average by $17.45 (25.5%). The 2020s as a whole averaged $72.25, so 2020 ran below its decade. Of 40 complete years with an EIA annual average, 2020 ranks 19th lowest.

2020 summary statistics

MeasureWTIBrentBrent − WTI
Average$39.16$41.96+$2.49
Change vs 2019 average−$17.84−$22.34−$4.87
Highest daily price$63.27 Jan 6, 2020$70.25 Jan 6, 2020—
Lowest daily price−$36.98 Apr 20, 2020$9.12 Apr 21, 2020—
Highest daily spread——+$54.34 Apr 20, 2020
Lowest daily spread——−$5.66 Mar 31, 2020
First observation$61.17 Jan 2, 2020$67.05 Jan 2, 2020—
Last observation$48.35 Dec 31, 2020$51.22 Dec 31, 2020—
Published daily observations252255249 matched
Average in September 2026 dollars$50.98$54.63—

Daily spot prices in 2020

Show all 258 dates (Jan 2, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020)
DateWTIBrentBrent − WTI
Jan 2, 2020$61.17$67.05+$5.88
Jan 3, 2020$63.00$69.08+$6.08
Jan 6, 2020$63.27$70.25+$6.98
Jan 7, 2020$62.70$68.74+$6.04
Jan 8, 2020$59.65$67.31+$7.66
Jan 9, 2020$59.56$66.58+$7.02
Jan 10, 2020$59.02$66.77+$7.75
Jan 13, 2020$58.17$64.14+$5.97
Jan 14, 2020$58.34$64.45+$6.11
Jan 15, 2020$57.86$63.29+$5.43
Jan 16, 2020$58.52$64.63+$6.11
Jan 17, 2020$58.55$64.05+$5.50
Jan 20, 2020—$64.63—
Jan 21, 2020$58.25$63.66+$5.41
Jan 22, 2020$56.76$62.11+$5.35
Jan 23, 2020$55.51$61.26+$5.75
Jan 24, 2020$54.09$59.34+$5.25
Jan 27, 2020$53.09$58.54+$5.45
Jan 28, 2020$53.33$59.37+$6.04
Jan 29, 2020$53.29$59.46+$6.17
Jan 30, 2020$52.19$57.72+$5.53
Jan 31, 2020$51.58$57.77+$6.19
Feb 3, 2020$50.06$54.00+$3.94
Feb 4, 2020$49.59$53.90+$4.31
Feb 5, 2020$50.87$55.36+$4.49
Feb 6, 2020$50.94$55.18+$4.24
Feb 7, 2020$50.34$54.53+$4.19
Feb 10, 2020$49.59$53.39+$3.80
Feb 11, 2020$50.00$54.00+$4.00
Feb 12, 2020$51.13$55.54+$4.41
Feb 13, 2020$51.41$56.34+$4.93
Feb 14, 2020$52.03$57.37+$5.34
Feb 17, 2020—$57.83—
Feb 18, 2020$52.10$57.35+$5.25
Feb 19, 2020$53.31$59.72+$6.41
Feb 20, 2020$53.77$59.57+$5.80
Feb 21, 2020$53.36$58.60+$5.24
Feb 24, 2020$51.36$56.71+$5.35
Feb 25, 2020$49.78$55.29+$5.51
Feb 26, 2020$48.67$54.96+$6.29
Feb 27, 2020$47.17$52.19+$5.02
Feb 28, 2020$44.83$51.31+$6.48
Mar 2, 2020$46.78$52.52+$5.74
Mar 3, 2020$47.27$52.24+$4.97
Mar 4, 2020$46.78$51.86+$5.08
Mar 5, 2020$45.90$51.29+$5.39
Mar 6, 2020$41.14$45.60+$4.46
Mar 9, 2020$31.05$35.33+$4.28
Mar 10, 2020$34.47$35.57+$1.10
Mar 11, 2020$33.13$34.45+$1.32
Mar 12, 2020$31.56$31.02−$0.54
Mar 13, 2020$31.72$32.25+$0.53
Mar 16, 2020$28.96$27.98−$0.98
Mar 17, 2020$26.96$27.97+$1.01
Mar 18, 2020$20.48$22.79+$2.31
Mar 19, 2020$25.09$23.98−$1.11
Mar 20, 2020$19.48$25.55+$6.07
Mar 23, 2020$23.33$23.75+$0.42
Mar 24, 2020$21.03$24.50+$3.47
Mar 25, 2020$20.75$25.62+$4.87
Mar 26, 2020$16.60$23.55+$6.95
Mar 27, 2020$15.48$22.39+$6.91
Mar 30, 2020$14.10$19.19+$5.09
Mar 31, 2020$20.51$14.85−$5.66
Apr 1, 2020$20.28$14.97−$5.31
Apr 2, 2020$25.18$20.24−$4.94
Apr 3, 2020$28.36$24.33−$4.03
Apr 6, 2020$26.21$22.58−$3.63
Apr 7, 2020$23.54$22.10−$1.44
Apr 8, 2020$24.97$25.22+$0.25
Apr 9, 2020$22.90$20.23−$2.67
Apr 13, 2020$22.36——
Apr 14, 2020$20.15$21.74+$1.59
Apr 15, 2020$19.96$19.80−$0.16
Apr 16, 2020$19.82$18.69−$1.13
Apr 17, 2020$18.31$19.75+$1.44
Apr 20, 2020−$36.98$17.36+$54.34
Apr 21, 2020$8.91$9.12+$0.21
Apr 22, 2020$13.64$13.77+$0.13
Apr 23, 2020$15.06$15.06$0.00
Apr 24, 2020$15.99$15.87−$0.12
Apr 27, 2020$12.17$15.17+$3.00
Apr 28, 2020$12.40$15.60+$3.20
Apr 29, 2020$15.04$17.86+$2.82
Apr 30, 2020$19.23$18.11−$1.12
May 1, 2020$19.72$18.49−$1.23
May 4, 2020$20.47$20.40−$0.07
May 5, 2020$24.56$25.46+$0.90
May 6, 2020$23.88$24.20+$0.32
May 7, 2020$23.68$24.23+$0.55
May 8, 2020$24.73——
May 11, 2020$24.02$25.53+$1.51
May 12, 2020$25.76$26.67+$0.91
May 13, 2020$25.37$27.89+$2.52
May 14, 2020$27.40$29.87+$2.47
May 15, 2020$29.44$30.95+$1.51
May 18, 2020$31.83$33.30+$1.47
May 19, 2020$32.30$33.06+$0.76
May 20, 2020$33.56$34.76+$1.20
May 21, 2020$34.30$34.78+$0.48
May 22, 2020$33.49$33.80+$0.31
May 26, 2020$34.70$33.95−$0.75
May 27, 2020$32.80$32.73−$0.07
May 28, 2020$33.67$33.98+$0.31
May 29, 2020$35.57$34.15−$1.42
Jun 1, 2020$35.49$36.74+$1.25
Jun 2, 2020$36.88$37.72+$0.84
Jun 3, 2020$37.33$37.98+$0.65
Jun 4, 2020$37.42$38.41+$0.99
Jun 5, 2020$39.49$41.00+$1.51
Jun 8, 2020$38.17$39.66+$1.49
Jun 9, 2020$38.98$40.45+$1.47
Jun 10, 2020$39.54$41.18+$1.64
Jun 11, 2020$36.43$37.76+$1.33
Jun 12, 2020$36.24$38.54+$2.30
Jun 15, 2020$37.07$39.44+$2.37
Jun 16, 2020$38.26$40.75+$2.49
Jun 17, 2020$37.91$40.47+$2.56
Jun 18, 2020$38.79$41.75+$2.96
Jun 19, 2020$39.72$42.33+$2.61
Jun 22, 2020$40.60$43.20+$2.60
Jun 23, 2020$40.40$42.72+$2.32
Jun 24, 2020$37.91$40.40+$2.49
Jun 25, 2020$38.66$41.18+$2.52
Jun 26, 2020$38.53$40.97+$2.44
Jun 29, 2020$39.67$41.58+$1.91
Jun 30, 2020$39.27$41.64+$2.37
Jul 1, 2020$39.88$42.18+$2.30
Jul 2, 2020$40.57$43.19+$2.62
Jul 3, 2020—$42.92—
Jul 6, 2020$40.51$42.73+$2.22
Jul 7, 2020$40.59$43.28+$2.69
Jul 8, 2020$40.91$43.67+$2.76
Jul 9, 2020$39.64$42.35+$2.71
Jul 10, 2020$40.56$43.27+$2.71
Jul 13, 2020$40.06$42.85+$2.79
Jul 14, 2020$40.30$42.97+$2.67
Jul 15, 2020$41.20$43.96+$2.76
Jul 16, 2020$40.74$43.71+$2.97
Jul 17, 2020$40.55$43.53+$2.98
Jul 20, 2020$40.83$43.30+$2.47
Jul 21, 2020$41.76$44.31+$2.55
Jul 22, 2020$41.88$43.98+$2.10
Jul 23, 2020$40.99$42.96+$1.97
Jul 24, 2020$41.23$43.29+$2.06
Jul 27, 2020$41.46$43.39+$1.93
Jul 28, 2020$40.89$43.11+$2.22
Jul 29, 2020$41.13$43.51+$2.38
Jul 30, 2020$39.85$42.98+$3.13
Jul 31, 2020$40.10$43.13+$3.03
Aug 3, 2020$40.83$43.76+$2.93
Aug 4, 2020$41.67$43.99+$2.32
Aug 5, 2020$42.25$44.92+$2.67
Aug 6, 2020$41.93$45.04+$3.11
Aug 7, 2020$41.16$44.07+$2.91
Aug 10, 2020$41.94$44.19+$2.25
Aug 11, 2020$41.53$43.68+$2.15
Aug 12, 2020$42.60$45.09+$2.49
Aug 13, 2020$42.26$44.87+$2.61
Aug 14, 2020$42.05$44.86+$2.81
Aug 17, 2020$42.89$44.91+$2.02
Aug 18, 2020$42.89$45.34+$2.45
Aug 19, 2020$42.91$45.21+$2.30
Aug 20, 2020$42.62$44.56+$1.94
Aug 21, 2020$42.32$43.94+$1.62
Aug 24, 2020$42.44$44.43+$1.99
Aug 25, 2020$43.17$46.01+$2.84
Aug 26, 2020$43.21$45.79+$2.58
Aug 27, 2020$42.88$44.84+$1.96
Aug 28, 2020$42.96$45.22+$2.26
Aug 31, 2020$42.61——
Sep 1, 2020$42.76$45.72+$2.96
Sep 2, 2020$42.76$42.70−$0.06
Sep 3, 2020$41.39$42.72+$1.33
Sep 4, 2020$39.69$41.10+$1.41
Sep 7, 2020—$40.67—
Sep 8, 2020$36.87$38.53+$1.66
Sep 9, 2020$38.05$39.98+$1.93
Sep 10, 2020$37.25$39.27+$2.02
Sep 11, 2020$37.33$38.80+$1.47
Sep 14, 2020$37.23$38.57+$1.34
Sep 15, 2020$38.29$39.54+$1.25
Sep 16, 2020$40.17$41.23+$1.06
Sep 17, 2020$40.99$42.35+$1.36
Sep 18, 2020$41.09$42.16+$1.07
Sep 21, 2020$39.26$40.37+$1.11
Sep 22, 2020$39.55$40.84+$1.29
Sep 23, 2020$39.92$41.09+$1.17
Sep 24, 2020$40.11$41.24+$1.13
Sep 25, 2020$40.06$40.91+$0.85
Sep 28, 2020$40.47$41.59+$1.12
Sep 29, 2020$39.03$40.33+$1.30
Sep 30, 2020$40.05$40.30+$0.25
Oct 1, 2020$38.51$39.75+$1.24
Oct 2, 2020$36.90$38.00+$1.10
Oct 5, 2020$39.12$39.78+$0.66
Oct 6, 2020$40.52$41.27+$0.75
Oct 7, 2020$39.82$40.62+$0.80
Oct 8, 2020$41.04$42.00+$0.96
Oct 9, 2020$40.44$41.63+$1.19
Oct 12, 2020$39.22$40.50+$1.28
Oct 13, 2020$40.03$41.34+$1.31
Oct 14, 2020$40.86$41.81+$0.95
Oct 15, 2020$40.84$41.61+$0.77
Oct 16, 2020$40.70$41.34+$0.64
Oct 19, 2020$40.69$41.29+$0.60
Oct 20, 2020$41.37$41.62+$0.25
Oct 21, 2020$39.88$40.09+$0.21
Oct 22, 2020$40.46$41.28+$0.82
Oct 23, 2020$39.73$40.71+$0.98
Oct 26, 2020$38.39$39.06+$0.67
Oct 27, 2020$39.34$39.72+$0.38
Oct 28, 2020$37.27$37.86+$0.59
Oct 29, 2020$35.94$36.56+$0.62
Oct 30, 2020$35.64$36.33+$0.69
Nov 2, 2020$36.60$37.78+$1.18
Nov 3, 2020$37.44$38.17+$0.73
Nov 4, 2020$38.97$39.68+$0.71
Nov 5, 2020$38.56$39.47+$0.91
Nov 6, 2020$36.97$38.08+$1.11
Nov 9, 2020$40.05$40.93+$0.88
Nov 10, 2020$41.18$42.25+$1.07
Nov 11, 2020$41.23$42.50+$1.27
Nov 12, 2020$40.90$42.16+$1.26
Nov 13, 2020$39.93$41.51+$1.58
Nov 16, 2020$41.14$42.71+$1.57
Nov 17, 2020$41.24$42.54+$1.30
Nov 18, 2020$41.64$42.91+$1.27
Nov 19, 2020$41.57$43.09+$1.52
Nov 20, 2020$41.99$43.79+$1.80
Nov 23, 2020$42.91$45.00+$2.09
Nov 24, 2020$44.71$46.63+$1.92
Nov 25, 2020$45.58$47.30+$1.72
Nov 26, 2020—$46.32—
Nov 27, 2020—$46.88—
Nov 30, 2020$45.20$46.84+$1.64
Dec 1, 2020$44.54$47.03+$2.49
Dec 2, 2020$45.23$47.80+$2.57
Dec 3, 2020$45.65$48.37+$2.72
Dec 4, 2020$46.23$49.10+$2.87
Dec 7, 2020$45.72$48.63+$2.91
Dec 8, 2020$45.64$48.84+$3.20
Dec 9, 2020$45.48$48.81+$3.33
Dec 10, 2020$46.76$50.33+$3.57
Dec 11, 2020$46.59$50.01+$3.42
Dec 14, 2020$47.02$50.27+$3.25
Dec 15, 2020$47.58$50.77+$3.19
Dec 16, 2020$47.86$50.83+$2.97
Dec 17, 2020$48.34$51.20+$2.86
Dec 18, 2020$49.04$52.17+$3.13
Dec 21, 2020$47.79$50.61+$2.82
Dec 22, 2020$47.02$49.88+$2.86
Dec 23, 2020$47.94$51.05+$3.11
Dec 24, 2020$48.18$50.88+$2.70
Dec 28, 2020$47.50$50.88+$3.38
Dec 29, 2020$47.85$50.44+$2.59
Dec 30, 2020$48.24$50.74+$2.50
Dec 31, 2020$48.35$51.22+$2.87

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

Price episode covering 2020: 2020 price crash

Source and methodology

ProviderSeriesUnitsCoverageLatest observation
U.S. Energy Information AdministrationRWTC — WTI spot price FOB$/bblJan 2, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Dec 31, 2020
U.S. Energy Information AdministrationRBRTE — Brent spot price FOB$/bblJan 2, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Dec 31, 2020
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:2020 daily prices (CSV)