Oil Prices in May 1986: WTI Daily Prices and Monthly Average
WTI's monthly average rose to $15.38 in May 1986, up $2.54 (19.8%) from April 1986.
Daily spot prices, May 1986
Chart data table (21 rows)
| Period | WTI |
|---|---|
| May 30, 1986 | $14.30 |
| May 29, 1986 | $14.50 |
| May 28, 1986 | $14.65 |
| May 27, 1986 | $15.10 |
| May 23, 1986 | $16.95 |
| May 22, 1986 | $16.04 |
| May 21, 1986 | $15.53 |
| May 20, 1986 | $16.18 |
| May 19, 1986 | $17.13 |
| May 16, 1986 | $16.08 |
| May 15, 1986 | $15.68 |
| May 14, 1986 | $15.53 |
| May 13, 1986 | $15.65 |
| May 12, 1986 | $15.75 |
| May 9, 1986 | $15.83 |
| May 8, 1986 | $15.70 |
| May 7, 1986 | $15.13 |
| May 6, 1986 | $14.43 |
| May 5, 1986 | $14.32 |
| May 2, 1986 | $14.65 |
| May 1, 1986 | $13.80 |
The month's range ran from $13.80 on May 1, 1986 to $17.13 on May 19, 1986; the last price was $14.30 on May 30, 1986. The largest one-day move was −$1.85 on May 27, 1986 (−10.9%).
EIA's Brent spot price series begins on May 20, 1987, so this page has WTI prices only.
Among the 41 May averages EIA has published, 1986's ranks 2nd lowest. Within 1986 it ranks 4th highest of the 12 monthly averages. WTI moved 5% or more from the previous published price on 5 days. In October 2026 dollars (CPI-U), the average equals $47.67 and the high of $17.13 equals $53.09.
May 1986 summary
| Measure | WTI |
|---|---|
| Monthly average | $15.38 |
| Change vs April 1986 | +$2.54 |
| Change vs May 1985 | — |
| Highest daily price | $17.13 May 19, 1986 |
| Lowest daily price | $13.80 May 1, 1986 |
| Published daily observations | 21 |
| Average in October 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $47.67 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for May 1986.
May in other years
| Year | WTI average | vs May 1986 | Real |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $102.13 | +564.0% | $102.86 |
| 2025 | $62.17 | +304.2% | $65.27 |
| 2024 | $80.02 | +420.3% | $85.99 |
| 2023 | $71.58 | +365.4% | $79.44 |
| 2022 | $109.55 | +612.3% | $126.50 |
| 2021 | $65.17 | +323.7% | $81.71 |
| 2020 | $28.56 | +85.7% | $37.60 |
| 2019 | $60.83 | +295.5% | $80.17 |
| 2018 | $69.98 | +355.0% | $93.88 |
| 2017 | $48.48 | +215.2% | $66.86 |
| 2016 | $46.71 | +203.7% | $65.63 |
| 2015 | $59.27 | +285.4% | $84.12 |
| 2014 | $102.18 | +564.4% | $144.96 |
| 2013 | $94.51 | +514.5% | $136.93 |
| 2012 | $94.66 | +515.5% | $139.02 |
| 2011 | $100.90 | +556.0% | $150.71 |
| 2010 | $73.74 | +379.5% | $114.07 |
| 2009 | $59.03 | +283.8% | $93.16 |
| 2008 | $125.40 | +715.3% | $195.37 |
| 2007 | $63.46 | +312.6% | $103.00 |
| 2006 | $70.84 | +360.6% | $118.07 |
| 2005 | $49.83 | +224.0% | $86.51 |
| 2004 | $40.28 | +161.9% | $71.89 |
| 2003 | $28.11 | +82.8% | $51.70 |
| 2002 | $27.04 | +75.8% | $50.76 |
| 2001 | $28.63 | +86.2% | $54.38 |
| 2000 | $28.79 | +87.2% | $56.66 |
| 1999 | $17.72 | +15.2% | $35.98 |
| 1998 | $14.91 | −3.1% | $30.91 |
| 1997 | $20.82 | +35.4% | $43.89 |
| 1996 | $21.17 | +37.6% | $45.63 |
| 1995 | $19.74 | +28.3% | $43.77 |
| 1994 | $17.89 | +16.3% | $40.94 |
| 1993 | $19.95 | +29.7% | $46.69 |
| 1992 | $20.98 | +36.4% | $50.69 |
| 1991 | $21.23 | +38.0% | $52.84 |
| 1990 | $18.20 | +18.3% | $47.54 |
| 1989 | $20.12 | +30.8% | $54.85 |
| 1988 | $17.42 | +13.3% | $50.04 |
| 1987 | $19.44 | +26.4% | $58.01 |
| 1986 | $15.38 | — | $47.67 |
“—” 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 May 1986.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 1, 1986 – May 30, 1986 | May 30, 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)