01:36 PM EDT, 09/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 1.7% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) gaining 2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 3.1%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index was shedding 0.7%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 1.7% to $72.11 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 1.6% to $74.81 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 58 billion cubic feet in the week ended Sept. 13, above the 54 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 40 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures were 1.6% higher at $2.32 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Mammoth Energy Services ( TUSK ) shares jumped 9.3% after its unit Cobra Acquisitions said Thursday that its $188.4 million settlement with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority was approved by a court on Wednesday.