Energy stocks were leaning lower pre-bell Wednesday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) down 0.1%.
The United States Oil Fund (USO) was down 0.3% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2.1% lower.
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 1% higher at $76.81 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose 1.1% to $79.86 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 2.5% at $3.15 per 1 million British Thermal Units.
Western Midstream Partners (WES) said the second produced-water treatment pilot facility in its joint industry project has begun operations in Reeves County, Texas, in the Permian Basin. Shares of Western Midstream Partners were 0.6% lower premarket.
ConocoPhillips (COP) confirmed that it has signed a development agreement with Syria's new government, after an earlier Financial Times report said the company was poised to become the first major US oil and gas producer to do so. ConocoPhillips shares were 0.3% higher pre-bell.
Antero Resources (AR) has set up a commercial paper program under which it may issue up to $1.65 billion of short-term unsecured notes, the company said in a regulatory filing. Antero Resources stock was flat premarket.