Oil Prices in May 1987: WTI & Brent Daily Prices and Monthly Average
At $19.44 per barrel, May 1987's WTI average was the highest monthly average in nominal terms since January 1986, up $0.76 (4.1%) from April 1987. The average was 26% above the $15.38 of May 1986.
Daily spot prices, May 1987
Chart data table (21 rows; WTI on 20, Brent on 8)
| Period | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 1987 | $19.36 | $18.58 |
| May 28, 1987 | $19.28 | $18.60 |
| May 27, 1987 | $19.38 | $18.60 |
| May 26, 1987 | $19.35 | $18.63 |
| May 25, 1987 | — | $18.60 |
| May 22, 1987 | $19.68 | $18.55 |
| May 21, 1987 | $19.95 | $18.45 |
| May 20, 1987 | $19.75 | $18.63 |
| May 19, 1987 | $19.97 | — |
| May 18, 1987 | $19.91 | — |
| May 15, 1987 | $19.84 | — |
| May 14, 1987 | $19.56 | — |
| May 13, 1987 | $19.39 | — |
| May 12, 1987 | $19.37 | — |
| May 11, 1987 | $19.43 | — |
| May 8, 1987 | $19.28 | — |
| May 7, 1987 | $19.08 | — |
| May 6, 1987 | $19.22 | — |
| May 5, 1987 | $19.18 | — |
| May 4, 1987 | $18.93 | — |
| May 1, 1987 | $18.84 | — |
The month's range ran from $18.84 on May 1, 1987 to $19.97 on May 19, 1987; the last price was $19.36 on May 29, 1987.
EIA's Brent spot price series begins on May 20, 1987, so Brent figures for May 1987 cover only the part of the month from that date.
Brent averaged $18.58, within a dollar of WTI on average across the 7 dates when both were published.
Among the 41 May averages EIA has published, 1987's ranks 7th lowest. Within 1987 it ranks 6th highest of the 12 monthly averages. In October 2026 dollars (CPI-U), the average equals $58.01 and the high of $19.97 equals $59.59.
May 1987 summary
| Measure | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly average | $19.44 | $18.58 |
| Change vs April 1987 | +$0.76 | — |
| Change vs May 1986 | +$4.06 | — |
| Highest daily price | $19.97 May 19, 1987 | $18.63 May 20, 1987 |
| Lowest daily price | $18.84 May 1, 1987 | $18.45 May 21, 1987 |
| Published daily observations | 20 | 8 |
| Average in October 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $58.01 | $55.45 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for May 1987.
May in other years
| Year | WTI average | vs May 1987 | Real |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $102.13 | +425.4% | $102.86 |
| 2025 | $62.17 | +219.8% | $65.27 |
| 2024 | $80.02 | +311.6% | $85.99 |
| 2023 | $71.58 | +268.2% | $79.44 |
| 2022 | $109.55 | +463.5% | $126.50 |
| 2021 | $65.17 | +235.2% | $81.71 |
| 2020 | $28.56 | +46.9% | $37.60 |
| 2019 | $60.83 | +212.9% | $80.17 |
| 2018 | $69.98 | +260.0% | $93.88 |
| 2017 | $48.48 | +149.4% | $66.86 |
| 2016 | $46.71 | +140.3% | $65.63 |
| 2015 | $59.27 | +204.9% | $84.12 |
| 2014 | $102.18 | +425.6% | $144.96 |
| 2013 | $94.51 | +386.2% | $136.93 |
| 2012 | $94.66 | +386.9% | $139.02 |
| 2011 | $100.90 | +419.0% | $150.71 |
| 2010 | $73.74 | +279.3% | $114.07 |
| 2009 | $59.03 | +203.7% | $93.16 |
| 2008 | $125.40 | +545.1% | $195.37 |
| 2007 | $63.46 | +226.4% | $103.00 |
| 2006 | $70.84 | +264.4% | $118.07 |
| 2005 | $49.83 | +156.3% | $86.51 |
| 2004 | $40.28 | +107.2% | $71.89 |
| 2003 | $28.11 | +44.6% | $51.70 |
| 2002 | $27.04 | +39.1% | $50.76 |
| 2001 | $28.63 | +47.3% | $54.38 |
| 2000 | $28.79 | +48.1% | $56.66 |
| 1999 | $17.72 | −8.8% | $35.98 |
| 1998 | $14.91 | −23.3% | $30.91 |
| 1997 | $20.82 | +7.1% | $43.89 |
| 1996 | $21.17 | +8.9% | $45.63 |
| 1995 | $19.74 | +1.5% | $43.77 |
| 1994 | $17.89 | −8.0% | $40.94 |
| 1993 | $19.95 | +2.6% | $46.69 |
| 1992 | $20.98 | +7.9% | $50.69 |
| 1991 | $21.23 | +9.2% | $52.84 |
| 1990 | $18.20 | −6.4% | $47.54 |
| 1989 | $20.12 | +3.5% | $54.85 |
| 1988 | $17.42 | −10.4% | $50.04 |
| 1987 | $19.44 | — | $58.01 |
| 1986 | $15.38 | −20.9% | $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 1987.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 1, 1987 – May 29, 1987 | May 29, 1987 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 20, 1987 – May 29, 1987 | May 29, 1987 |
| 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:1987 daily prices (CSV)