Oil Prices in May 2009: WTI & Brent Daily Prices and Monthly Average
WTI jumped in May 2009: the monthly average rose to $59.03, up $9.38 (18.9%) from April 2009. The average was 53% below the $125.40 of May 2008.
Daily spot prices, May 2009
Chart data table (20 rows)
| Period | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2009 | $66.31 | $64.98 |
| May 28, 2009 | $65.09 | $63.47 |
| May 27, 2009 | $63.41 | $61.28 |
| May 26, 2009 | $62.48 | $59.05 |
| May 22, 2009 | $61.15 | $58.70 |
| May 21, 2009 | $60.49 | $58.02 |
| May 20, 2009 | $61.45 | $59.10 |
| May 19, 2009 | $59.52 | $57.12 |
| May 18, 2009 | $58.99 | $56.51 |
| May 15, 2009 | $56.52 | $56.33 |
| May 14, 2009 | $58.58 | $56.25 |
| May 13, 2009 | $58.00 | $56.84 |
| May 12, 2009 | $58.81 | $56.52 |
| May 11, 2009 | $57.79 | $55.99 |
| May 8, 2009 | $58.58 | $56.02 |
| May 7, 2009 | $56.67 | $56.63 |
| May 6, 2009 | $56.29 | $55.07 |
| May 5, 2009 | $53.81 | $53.16 |
| May 4, 2009 | $54.45 | $53.26 |
| May 1, 2009 | $52.18 | $51.75 |
Prices rose over the month, from $52.18 on May 1, 2009 to $66.31 on May 29, 2009, with gains on 15 of 20 trading days. The largest one-day move was +$2.48 on May 6, 2009 (+4.6%).
Brent traded below WTI on average this month: $57.30 for the month, $1.73 under WTI across 20 matched dates.
Adjusted with CPI-U, the May 2009 average equals $93.00 in September 2026 dollars.
May 2009 summary
| Measure | WTI | Brent |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly average | $59.03 | $57.30 |
| Change vs April 2009 | +$9.38 | +$7.12 |
| Change vs May 2008 | −$66.37 | −$65.50 |
| Highest daily price | $66.31 May 29, 2009 | $64.98 May 29, 2009 |
| Lowest daily price | $52.18 May 1, 2009 | $51.75 May 1, 2009 |
| Published daily observations | 20 | 20 |
| Average in September 2026 dollars (CPI-U) | $93.00 | $90.28 |
Monthly averages are EIA's published figures. Real figures use CPI-U for May 2009.
Part of the price episode: 2008 spike and crash
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 1, 2009 – May 29, 2009 | May 29, 2009 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (daily, monthly) | $/bbl | May 1, 2009 – May 29, 2009 | May 29, 2009 |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSA | index, 1982–84=100 | monthly | September 2026 |
Last updated: Oct 21, 2026, 5:27 PM CDT. Raw values are shown in source units; any conversion is labeled. See methodology and data sources.
Download:2009 daily prices (CSV)