Side-by-side comparison
WTI Crude vs Brent
WTI (West Texas Intermediate) and Brent are the world's two primary crude oil benchmarks. Brent prices ~75% of globally traded oil. WTI is the North American benchmark at Cushing, Oklahoma. The spread reflects US shale dynamics, pipeline/export capacity, and crude quality differences.
WTI vs Brent
WTI Crude vs Brent chart
Chart by TradingView
Frequently asked questions
About WTI Crude vs Brent
Why is Brent usually more expensive than WTI?
Brent prices seaborne crude used globally. WTI is landlocked at Cushing and its price can fall when US shale production exceeds pipeline and export capacity. WTI briefly traded negative in April 2020 when Cushing storage was nearly full.
Which should I use as my oil price reference?
Use Brent for global oil market analysis. Use WTI for US refinery margins and shale economics. Most airline fuel hedging and major international contracts reference Brent.