Crude Prices Soar Above $31 a Barrel

Valhall is a giant oilfield in the southern Norwegian North Sea. Production started in 1982 and following commissioning of the new PH platform in 2013 the field now has the potential to continue producing for several decades. Whilst significant quantities of oil and gas remain technically recoverable, much of this has marginal economics today and continuous technological innovation and efficiency improvements will be required to unlock the future potential of Valhall.

NEW YORK — (CNN) At the end of a brutal week, oil prices surged Friday morning — jumping back above $31 a barrel.

Prices rose 4.2% Thursday to settle at $29.53 a barrel. That was the biggest one-day percentage gain since October 28.

Stock markets around the world responded as commodities and energy shares shot higher. Asian markets were buoyed by the Nikkei, which jumped 5.8%. The Hang Seng closed 2.9% higher, while shares in Shanghai rose 1.2%.

In Europe, the main indexes jumped between 2% and 3%.

Shell is up 6% and BP is up 4% in London trading.

Still, oil prices are still down about 20% this year and 73% below the June 2014 peak of $107.73.

The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. (Photo: CNN)

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