09:40 AM EST, 11/29/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher in early-trading Friday as the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) recently advanced by 0.3%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was up 0.9% and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 4% higher.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.9% higher at $69.38 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil was 0.3% at $73.01 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 4.6% at $3.35 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

GeoPark ( GPRK ) shares were up more than 3% after the company said it agreed to acquire Repsol Exploracion's upstream oil and gas assets in Colombia for consideration of about $530 million.

Flex LNG ( FLNG ) shares were 0.2% higher after the company said it has secured a 15-year time charter contract for its Flex Constellation liquefied natural gas carrier.

BW LPG ( BWLP ) said it has taken delivery of one of the very large gas carriers that it announced it was acquiring in August. BW LPG ( BWLP ) shares were down more than 1% premarket.