Energy stocks were higher Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was decreasing 0.3%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was shedding 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 0.3% to $57.28 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was decreasing 0.2% to $60.97 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures climbed 2.6% to $3.01 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, California Resources (CRC) shares added 0.6% after the firm said late Thursday it broke ground for Carbon TerraVault I, a carbon capture and storage project in California.

NextDecade (NEXT) shares were up 0.7% higher after the company said late Thursday it has made a positive final investment decision on Train 5 at its Rio Grande LNG project.

BP's (BP) Whiting refinery in Indiana has multiple units that are offline, Reuters reported Friday, citing data from Wood Mackenzie. BP shares were up 1%.