FX & Commodity Almanac

ECB fixings to 16 Oct 2026 · World Bank prices to September 2026

Energy · World Bank monthly average

What is the WTI crude oil price and how has it changed?

WTI crude oil averaged 96.90 US dollars per barrel in September 2026, according to the World Bank Pink Sheet. That is 17.2% above Aug 2026 and 52.1% above Sept 2025, and in the top quarter of all monthly averages since January 2000.

Sept 2026 average
96.90$/bbl · US dollars per barrel
Month on month
▲ +17.2%from 82.70 in Aug 2026
Year on year
▲ +52.1%from 63.70 in Sept 2025
12-month range
57.90–99.10low Dec 2025 · high May 2026

The last five years

WTI crude oil, monthly average price, last five yearsWTI crude oil from 71.60 $/bbl in Sept 2021 to 96.90 in Sept 2026; five-year high 114.60 (Jun 2022), low 57.90 (Dec 2025). 5060708090100110120 20222023202420252026
Monthly averages, Sept 2021 – Sept 2026, $/bbl. Yellow dot: latest month.

What the record shows

  1. Over five years the price ranged from 57.90 (Dec 2025) to 114.60 (Jun 2022). Sept 2026 sits 69% of the way from that low to the high.
  2. Since January 2000 the record high is 133.90 (Jun 2008) and the low 16.50 (Apr 2020). The latest month is higher than 89% of the 321 monthly averages in that span, in nominal dollars (not adjusted for inflation).
  3. The highest full-year average since 2000 was 2008 (99.55); the lowest was 2001 (25.92).
  4. Annualised volatility of monthly changes over the past five years was 30.5%, close to the 35.5% for the whole record since 2000. Monthly averages smooth out intra-month swings, so daily markets move more than this.
  5. Five years earlier, in Sept 2021, the average was 71.60: the price is 35.3% above that level.

Yearly averages

WTI crude oil yearly average, change, high month and low month
YearAveragevs prior yearHighest monthLowest month
2026 9 mo. 83.86 ▲ +29.2% 99.10 May 60.30 Jan
2025 64.89 ▼ −14.4% 75.10 Jan 57.90 Dec
2024 75.85 ▼ −2.3% 84.60 Apr 69.60 Sep
2023 77.67 ▼ −17.8% 89.60 Sep 70.20 Jun
2022 94.44 ▲ +38.9% 114.60 Jun 76.50 Dec
2021 67.98 ▲ +72.9% 81.30 Oct 52.10 Jan
2020 39.32 ▼ −31.1% 57.50 Jan 16.50 Apr
2019 57.03 ▼ −12.0% 63.90 Apr 51.50 Jan
2018 64.83 ▲ +27.3% 70.80 Jul 49.00 Dec
2017 50.92 ▲ +17.9% 57.90 Dec 45.20 Jun
2016 43.20 ▼ −11.3% 52.00 Dec 30.40 Feb
2015 48.72 ▼ −47.7% 59.80 Jun 37.20 Dec
2014 93.12 ▼ −4.9% 105.20 Jun 59.30 Dec
2013 97.93 ▲ +4.0% 106.50 Aug 92.00 Apr
2012 94.17 ▼ −0.9% 106.20 Mar 82.40 Jun
2011 95.06 ▲ +19.7% 110.00 Apr 85.60 Sep
2010 79.43 ▲ +28.8% 89.10 Dec 73.70 May
2009 61.65 ▼ −38.1% 78.00 Nov 39.20 Feb
2008 99.55 ▲ +37.7% 133.90 Jun 41.40 Dec
2007 72.29 ▲ +9.5% 94.80 Nov 54.20 Jan
2006 66.03 ▲ +17.0% 74.40 Jul 58.90 Oct

Average = simple mean of the monthly averages published for that year. Rows in italics are incomplete years. Table shows 2006 onward; the charts and statistics use the full record from Jan 2000.

Since January 2000

WTI crude oil, monthly average price since January 2000WTI crude oil monthly averages from Jan 2000 to Sept 2026; highest 133.90 $/bbl in Jun 2008, lowest 16.50 in Apr 2020. 020406080100120140 200020032006200920122015201820212024
Monthly averages, nominal US dollars ($/bbl).

Largest one-month moves since 2000

MonthFromToMove
May 202016.5028.60▲ +73.3%
Apr 202029.9016.50▼ −44.8%
Mar 202664.6091.20▲ +41.2%
Mar 202050.5029.90▼ −40.8%
Jun 202028.6038.30▲ +33.9%

What exactly is being priced?

Crude oil, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) 40° API. The World Bank publishes the series as a monthly average in US dollars per barrel ($/bbl). Benchmark definitions occasionally change, as noted above, so very long comparisons mix slightly different contracts. See commodity price units explained for converting units.

Sources