03:37 PM EST, 01/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks gained late Friday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 0.5% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) rising 0.8%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was up 0.1%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 0.9% to $77.98 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent dropped 0.8% to $80.66 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures slumped 7.6% to $3.94 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, American Electric Power ( AEP ) shares added 0.6% after it said Friday it's seeking grants from the US Department of Energy to support the Early Site Permit process for two potential Small Modular Reactor sites in Indiana and Virginia.

Schlumberger's ( SLB ) Q4 results topped Wall Street estimates, driven by double-digit revenue growth in its digital and integration division and increased offshore activity in the US Gulf of Mexico. The shares jumped 6.8%.

Sasol ( SSL ) plans to revitalize its international chemical business, including its Lake Charles facility in Louisiana, as part of efforts to boost earnings and potentially set the stage for a future listing, Bloomberg reported, citing an interview with Chief Executive Officer Simon Baloyi. Sasol ( SSL ) shares popped 9.1%.

Vistra ( VST ) shares fell 2.2% after the company's battery storage plant in California caught fire Thursday.