Energy prices pressured by warm December NEW YORK, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices held above $87 a barrel in New York Monday as December remained unusually warm. Demand for natural gas dropped 14 percent in the week ending Thursday, taking natural gas close to a seven-week low Monday morning at $3.334 per million British thermal units, although prices were up from an overnight low of $3.314. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude oil for January delivery rose 76 cents to $87.49 a barrel. Home heating oil for January delivery was off 0.6 cents to $2.9746 a gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline added 1.09 cents to $2.673 a gallon. At the pump, AAA reported a national average price for regular unleaded gasoline at $3.248 per gallon, down from Sunday's $3.257.