Oil Prices in August 1986: WTI Daily Prices and Monthly Average
WTI's monthly average rose to $15.10 in August 1986, up $3.51 (30.3%) from July 1986.
Daily spot prices, August 1986
Chart data table (21 rows)
| Period | WTI |
|---|---|
| Aug 29, 1986 | $15.93 |
| Aug 28, 1986 | $15.83 |
| Aug 27, 1986 | $15.83 |
| Aug 26, 1986 | $15.78 |
| Aug 25, 1986 | $15.48 |
| Aug 22, 1986 | $15.48 |
| Aug 21, 1986 | $15.23 |
| Aug 20, 1986 | $15.23 |
| Aug 19, 1986 | $14.98 |
| Aug 18, 1986 | $15.58 |
| Aug 15, 1986 | $15.83 |
| Aug 14, 1986 | $15.43 |
| Aug 13, 1986 | $15.28 |
| Aug 12, 1986 | $15.50 |
| Aug 11, 1986 | $14.92 |
| Aug 8, 1986 | $14.83 |
| Aug 7, 1986 | $15.18 |
| Aug 6, 1986 | $14.80 |
| Aug 5, 1986 | $14.35 |
| Aug 4, 1986 | $14.00 |
| Aug 1, 1986 | $11.56 |
Prices rose over the month, from $11.56 on Aug 1, 1986 to $15.93 on Aug 29, 1986, with gains on 14 of 18 trading days. The largest one-day move was +$2.44 on Aug 4, 1986 (+21.1%).
EIA's Brent spot price series begins on May 20, 1987, so this page has WTI prices only.
Among the 41 August averages EIA has published, 1986's ranks 2nd lowest. Within 1986 it ranks 6th highest of the 12 monthly averages. WTI moved 5% or more from the previous published price on 1 day. In October 2026 dollars (CPI-U), the average equals $46.46 and the high of $15.93 equals $49.01.
August 1986 summary
| Measure | WTI |
|---|---|
| Monthly average | $15.10 |
| Change vs July 1986 | +$3.51 |
| Change vs August 1985 | — |
| Highest daily price | $15.93 Aug 29, 1986 |
| Lowest daily price | $11.56 Aug 1, 1986 |
| Published daily observations | 21 |
| Average in October 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $46.46 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for August 1986.
August in other years
| Year | WTI average | vs August 1986 | Real |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $83.90 | +455.6% | $84.53 |
| 2025 | $64.86 | +329.5% | $67.57 |
| 2024 | $76.68 | +407.8% | $82.21 |
| 2023 | $81.39 | +439.0% | $89.47 |
| 2022 | $93.67 | +520.3% | $106.74 |
| 2021 | $67.70 | +348.3% | $83.52 |
| 2020 | $42.34 | +180.4% | $54.98 |
| 2019 | $54.81 | +263.0% | $72.10 |
| 2018 | $68.06 | +350.7% | $91.10 |
| 2017 | $48.04 | +218.1% | $66.04 |
| 2016 | $44.72 | +196.2% | $62.67 |
| 2015 | $42.87 | +183.9% | $60.71 |
| 2014 | $96.54 | +539.3% | $136.99 |
| 2013 | $106.57 | +605.8% | $153.79 |
| 2012 | $94.13 | +523.4% | $137.90 |
| 2011 | $86.33 | +471.7% | $128.62 |
| 2010 | $76.60 | +407.3% | $118.42 |
| 2009 | $71.05 | +370.5% | $111.10 |
| 2008 | $116.67 | +672.6% | $179.73 |
| 2007 | $72.36 | +379.2% | $117.46 |
| 2006 | $73.04 | +383.7% | $120.90 |
| 2005 | $64.99 | +330.4% | $111.68 |
| 2004 | $44.90 | +197.4% | $79.97 |
| 2003 | $31.57 | +109.1% | $57.72 |
| 2002 | $28.39 | +88.0% | $53.03 |
| 2001 | $27.37 | +81.3% | $52.04 |
| 2000 | $31.26 | +107.0% | $61.06 |
| 1999 | $21.28 | +40.9% | $42.98 |
| 1998 | $13.47 | −10.8% | $27.82 |
| 1997 | $19.95 | +32.1% | $41.87 |
| 1996 | $21.90 | +45.0% | $46.99 |
| 1995 | $18.02 | +19.3% | $39.78 |
| 1994 | $18.38 | +21.7% | $41.63 |
| 1993 | $18.01 | +19.3% | $41.98 |
| 1992 | $21.34 | +41.3% | $51.12 |
| 1991 | $21.69 | +43.6% | $53.59 |
| 1990 | $27.31 | +80.9% | $70.04 |
| 1989 | $18.58 | +23.0% | $50.33 |
| 1988 | $15.52 | +2.8% | $44.02 |
| 1987 | $20.31 | +34.5% | $59.92 |
| 1986 | $15.10 | — | $46.46 |
“—” in the real column means BLS has published no CPI-U for that month. The comparison column shows how far that year's average was from August 1986.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | Aug 1, 1986 – Aug 29, 1986 | Aug 29, 1986 |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSA | index, 1982–84=100 | monthly | October 2026 |
Last updated: Nov 10, 2026, 7:01 PM CST. Raw values are shown in source units; any conversion is labeled. See methodology and data sources.
Download:1986 daily prices (CSV)