Gas prices may have dropped, but are still almost double their five-year average for the time of year.

Despite the adoption of the Versailles Declaration in March 2022, when leaders of the 27 EU member states pledged to phase out the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible, imports of Russian LNG increased by 12% in 2022 compared to 2021.

Brent had fallen 33 cents, or 0.4%, to $83.70 a barrel, WTI slipped 20 cents, or 0.3%, to $78.19.

WTI slipped by 54 cents, or 0.72%, to $74.58 a barrel, Brent fell by 50 cents, or 0.62%, to $79.60.

The Brent crude oil price will average $83 per barrel (b) in 2023, down 18% from 2022, and continue to fall to $78/b in 2024 as global oil inventories build, putting downward pressure on crude oil prices.

LNG deliveries to Europe have helped ease an energy crisis this winter after Russian piped supply slumped.

Brent were up $1.49, or 1.9%, at $80.06 a barrel, WTI rose $1.43, or 1.9%, to $75.20.

Dutch front-month futures, the European benchmark, rose 4.3% to €72.50 a megawatt-hour at 8:55 a.m. in Amsterdam. The UK equivalent contract was 7.1% higher.

Brent was up $1.63, or 2.1%, to $79.47 a barrel, WTI gained $1.41, or 1.9%, to $74.25.

Russia said Dec. 28 it will ban crude supplies to countries that observe the G7's $60/b price cap from Feb. 1 for five months. The retaliatory move, which applies at all stages of supply to the final buyer, had been widely flagged by Russia and expected by the global oil market.

Dutch front-month futures, the European gas benchmark traded 2% higher at to €66.30 per megawatt-hour by 12 p.m. in Amsterdam. The UK equivalent contract also rose. German power for next month increased 2.3% to €166 per megawatt-hour.

Brent was up 22 cents, or 0.3%, at $84.14 a barrel, WTI gained 7 cents to $79.63.

U.S. Rig Count is up 3 from last week to 779, Canada Rig Count is down 103 from last week to 96

Brent rose 8 cents, or 0.1%, to $80.07 per barrel, WTI fell 1 cent to $76.22.

"The TTF month-ahead settlement price for derivatives is by far the most widely used benchmark in gas supply contracts across the EU, followed by maturities of two-month ahead and year ahead," it states.