Created: 10/9/2009 7:28:12 AM 
NEW YORK (AP) -- Energy prices were on the rise Thursday, mirroring strength in the equities market.
Benchmark crude for November delivery added $2.12 to settle at $71.69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Despite surging supplies, natural gas, gas futures and heating oil also jumped.
The Energy Information Administration said this week that the country continues to sit on massive surpluses of petroleum. Oil and gas stockpiles are well above average, and distillate fuels have grown to their highest level since January 1983.
Natural gas set a new record for unused supplies earlier this month.
In Asian trading Friday, oil prices gave up part of Thursday's gains. The November contract had dropped 53 cents to $71.16.
©2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.
