Energy stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.9% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 1.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index increased 0.8%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index advanced 0.2%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.8% to $92.04 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract climbed 3.4% to $101.32 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 2% to $2.97 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Constellation Energy (CEG) shares rose 2.1% after the company and Amazon (AMZN) said late Wednesday they have signed a long-term agreement to support investment in and expansion of the Calvert Cliffs Clean Energy Center in Maryland. The deal is expected to back over $3 billion in infrastructure investment at the 1,790-megawatt nuclear plant, the companies said.