09:45 AM EDT, 09/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher early Tuesday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) advancing by 0.9%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 1.1% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was flat.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 1.5% higher at $64.27 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil gained 1.2% to $68.25 per barrel. Natural gas futures were up 0.8% at $3.068 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Shell (SHEL) will have a legal case heard by South Africa's top court Tuesday in the latest round of a legal battle pitting environmental activists against the energy giant, Bloomberg reported. Shell shares were 0.4% higher in early trading.

Clean Energy Fuels ( CLNE ) shares were up 3.3% after the company said it has broken ground on three renewable natural gas, or RNG, production plants across six dairies in South Dakota, Georgia, Florida, and New Mexico, which are expected to produce approximately three million gallons of RNG annually.

Enerflex ( EFXT ) said it has appointed Paul Mahoney as its chief executive officer, effective Sept. 29. Enerflex ( EFXT ) shares were 0.2% higher in early trading.