Oil Prices in January 1986: WTI Daily Prices and Monthly Average
WTI averaged $22.93 per barrel in January 1986.
Daily spot prices, January 1986
Chart data table (22 rows)
| Period | WTI |
|---|---|
| Jan 31, 1986 | $18.95 |
| Jan 30, 1986 | $19.58 |
| Jan 29, 1986 | $19.61 |
| Jan 28, 1986 | $19.45 |
| Jan 27, 1986 | $20.87 |
| Jan 24, 1986 | $19.45 |
| Jan 23, 1986 | $19.93 |
| Jan 22, 1986 | $20.25 |
| Jan 21, 1986 | $20.61 |
| Jan 20, 1986 | $21.33 |
| Jan 17, 1986 | $23.63 |
| Jan 16, 1986 | $23.98 |
| Jan 15, 1986 | $25.18 |
| Jan 14, 1986 | $24.97 |
| Jan 13, 1986 | $25.08 |
| Jan 10, 1986 | $25.65 |
| Jan 9, 1986 | $26.03 |
| Jan 8, 1986 | $25.87 |
| Jan 7, 1986 | $25.85 |
| Jan 6, 1986 | $26.53 |
| Jan 3, 1986 | $26.00 |
| Jan 2, 1986 | $25.56 |
Prices fell over the month, from $25.56 on Jan 2, 1986 to $18.95 on Jan 31, 1986, with declines on 14 of 21 trading days. The largest one-day move was −$2.30 on Jan 20, 1986 (−9.7%).
EIA's Brent spot price series begins on May 20, 1987, so this page has WTI prices only.
Among the 41 January averages EIA has published, 1986's ranks 13th lowest. Within 1986 it ranks the highest of the 12 monthly averages. The high was $26.53 on Jan 6, 1986 and the low $18.95 on Jan 31, 1986. WTI moved 5% or more from the previous published price on 3 days. In October 2026 dollars (CPI-U), the average equals $70.61 and the high of $26.53 equals $81.70.
January 1986 summary
| Measure | WTI |
|---|---|
| Monthly average | $22.93 |
| Change vs December 1985 | — |
| Change vs January 1985 | — |
| Highest daily price | $26.53 Jan 6, 1986 |
| Lowest daily price | $18.95 Jan 31, 1986 |
| Published daily observations | 22 |
| Average in October 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $70.61 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for January 1986.
January in other years
| Year | WTI average | vs January 1986 | Real |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $60.04 | +161.8% | $62.30 |
| 2025 | $75.74 | +230.3% | $80.47 |
| 2024 | $74.15 | +223.4% | $81.14 |
| 2023 | $78.12 | +240.7% | $88.13 |
| 2022 | $83.22 | +262.9% | $99.90 |
| 2021 | $52.00 | +126.8% | $67.09 |
| 2020 | $57.52 | +150.9% | $75.26 |
| 2019 | $51.38 | +124.1% | $68.89 |
| 2018 | $63.70 | +177.8% | $86.74 |
| 2017 | $52.50 | +129.0% | $72.97 |
| 2016 | $31.68 | +38.2% | $45.13 |
| 2015 | $47.22 | +105.9% | $68.19 |
| 2014 | $94.62 | +312.6% | $136.52 |
| 2013 | $94.76 | +313.3% | $138.89 |
| 2012 | $100.27 | +337.3% | $149.31 |
| 2011 | $89.17 | +288.9% | $136.66 |
| 2010 | $78.33 | +241.6% | $122.01 |
| 2009 | $41.71 | +81.9% | $66.67 |
| 2008 | $92.97 | +305.5% | $148.66 |
| 2007 | $54.51 | +137.7% | $90.89 |
| 2006 | $65.49 | +185.6% | $111.47 |
| 2005 | $46.84 | +104.3% | $82.90 |
| 2004 | $34.31 | +49.6% | $62.53 |
| 2003 | $32.95 | +43.7% | $61.21 |
| 2002 | $19.72 | −14.0% | $37.58 |
| 2001 | $29.59 | +29.0% | $57.04 |
| 2000 | $27.26 | +18.9% | $54.51 |
| 1999 | $12.52 | −45.4% | $25.72 |
| 1998 | $16.72 | −27.1% | $34.92 |
| 1997 | $25.13 | +9.6% | $53.31 |
| 1996 | $18.86 | −17.7% | $41.23 |
| 1995 | $18.04 | −21.3% | $40.51 |
| 1994 | $15.03 | −34.5% | $34.70 |
| 1993 | $19.03 | −17.0% | $45.04 |
| 1992 | $18.79 | −18.1% | $45.92 |
| 1991 | $25.23 | +10.0% | $63.26 |
| 1990 | $22.86 | −0.3% | $60.56 |
| 1989 | $18.02 | −21.4% | $50.22 |
| 1988 | $17.13 | −25.3% | $49.97 |
| 1987 | $18.65 | −18.7% | $56.61 |
| 1986 | $22.93 | — | $70.61 |
“—” 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 January 1986.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | Jan 2, 1986 – Jan 31, 1986 | Jan 31, 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)