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 shares were down more than 1% premarket.