The price hit $75.95 during the day, highest figure in 11 months, before slipping back.

Crude oil price strength was attributed to a U.S. government report showing oil and gasoline supplies had fallen and the closing of production at an Angola well.

Heating oil closed 0.9 cents higher at $2.1143 a gallon, reformulated gas was down 0.39 cents at $$2.1914 a gallon and natural gas was up 17.8 cents at $6.706 per million British thermal units.

Meanwhile, at the pump, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.020, down from Wednesday's $3.031, the AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report said.