Brent vs WTI Crude Oil Price
Compare the two major oil benchmarks side by side. See the live Brent-WTI spread and understand what drives the price difference.
Why Brent is Usually More Expensive Than WTI
Brent crude typically trades at a premium to WTI for several reasons. As the global benchmark, Brent prices reflect international supply and demand, including demand from Asia and Europe. WTI is primarily a US domestic benchmark, and its price is influenced more by North American supply dynamics.
The spread between Brent and WTI can widen during periods of tight global supply (boosting Brent) or US production surges (depressing WTI). Conversely, the spread narrows when US export capacity grows, connecting the two markets more closely.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Factor | Brent | WTI |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | North Sea | Texas, USA |
| Exchange | ICE | NYMEX |
| Global share | ~66% | ~33% |
| API gravity | 38.06 | 39.6 |
| Sulfur | 0.37% | 0.24% |