Energy stocks were lower Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index shedding 0.5% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) down 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index fell 0.8%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was adding 0.2%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 1.7% to $71.18 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 1.3% to $74.39 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures dropped 5.2% to $3.28 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, U.S. Energy (USEG) shares popped almost 3% after the company said it struck a deal to sell some assets in East Texas to an unnamed private buyer for roughly $6.8 million in cash.

Diamondback Energy (FANG), Halliburton Energy Services and VoltaGrid said Friday they have struck an agreement to deploy four electric simul-frac fleets in the Permian Basin. Diamondback shares added 0.6%.

Delek Logistics Partners (DKL) agreed to buy the Gravity Water Midstream division of Gravity Oilfield Services for $285 million in cash and equities. Delek shares rose 1.3%.