Oil Prices in May 2021: WTI & Brent Daily Prices and Monthly Average
At $65.17 per barrel, May 2021's WTI average was the highest monthly average in nominal terms since October 2018, up $3.45 (5.6%) from April 2021. The average was 128% above the $28.56 of May 2020.
Daily spot prices, May 2021
Chart data table (20 rows)
| Period | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2021 | $66.31 | $69.36 |
| May 27, 2021 | $66.87 | $69.43 |
| May 26, 2021 | $66.41 | $68.93 |
| May 25, 2021 | $66.27 | $68.80 |
| May 24, 2021 | $66.13 | $68.59 |
| May 21, 2021 | $63.61 | $66.72 |
| May 20, 2021 | $61.95 | $65.18 |
| May 19, 2021 | $63.28 | $66.88 |
| May 18, 2021 | $65.49 | $69.01 |
| May 17, 2021 | $66.24 | $69.62 |
| May 14, 2021 | $65.32 | $69.24 |
| May 13, 2021 | $63.82 | $67.36 |
| May 12, 2021 | $65.96 | $69.62 |
| May 11, 2021 | $65.31 | $68.83 |
| May 10, 2021 | $64.92 | $68.61 |
| May 7, 2021 | $64.96 | $68.73 |
| May 6, 2021 | $64.73 | $68.62 |
| May 5, 2021 | $65.63 | $69.71 |
| May 4, 2021 | $65.72 | $68.91 |
| May 3, 2021 | $64.46 | — |
Prices dipped to $61.95 on May 20, 2021, then climbed to $66.87 on May 27, 2021 and ended at $66.31.
Brent averaged $68.53; its premium over WTI on matched dates averaged $3.33, with the daily Brent − WTI difference ranging from +$2.46 to +$4.08.
Adjusted with CPI-U, the May 2021 average equals $81.57 in September 2026 dollars.
May 2021 summary
| Measure | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly average | $65.17 | $68.53 |
| Change vs April 2021 | +$3.45 | +$3.72 |
| Change vs May 2020 | +$36.61 | +$39.15 |
| Highest daily price | $66.87 May 27, 2021 | $69.71 May 5, 2021 |
| Lowest daily price | $61.95 May 20, 2021 | $65.18 May 20, 2021 |
| Published daily observations | 20 | 19 |
| Average in September 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $81.57 | $85.78 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for May 2021.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 3, 2021 – May 28, 2021 | May 28, 2021 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 4, 2021 – May 28, 2021 | May 28, 2021 |
| 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:2021 daily prices (CSV)