01:43 PM EDT, 04/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose Friday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 1.4% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) advancing 1.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index increased 0.7%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index jumped 1.5%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil gained 0.9% to $83.44 a barrel, while the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 0.5% to $87.58 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures eased 0.2% to $1.75 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, UGI's (UGI) propane distribution unit AmeriGas is a potential target for investment by a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil, Bloomberg reported Friday. UGI shares surged 8%.

Schlumberger ( SLB ) fiscal Q1 non-GAAP earnings and revenue matched estimates by analysts as double-digit international revenue growth helped counter softness in North America. The shares dropped 1.4%.

BWX Technologies ( BWXT ) said Friday it's investing CA$80 million ($58.3 million) to expand the capacity of its nuclear manufacturing facility in Cambridge, Ontario. Its shares fell 1.3%.