Crude oil prices ended the year above $50 per barrel (b). Although the annual average West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price in 2016 was $43/b—down $5/b from 2015—the WTI price ended 2016 at $53/b, $16/b higher than at the end of 2015. Similarly, Brent ended the year up $17 from the end of 2015, at $54/b, but the 2016 annual average of $44/b was $8 below the 2015 average.
Despite robust demand for petroleum products, relatively high production and inventory levels provided downward pressure on crude oil prices throughout most of 2016.
