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The Midday Take - Energy Market Briefing
Global Markets

Energy Market Briefing

Bakken Wire Staff·🔆Midday Wire·
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Date: Friday, September 18, 2026

1. Headlines

Oil prices are modestly lower midday, with WTI crude trading at $96.73, down 0.51%. Brent crude is at $99.77, down 0.16%. Natural gas is slightly higher at $2.93. The reported driver is an improvement in Middle East oil flows, specifically that Saudi Arabia has boosted shuttle-shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and that some pipeline operations may partially resume sooner than feared, according to reports from Rigzone and OilPrice.com.

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