Brent vs WTI: The Two Oil Benchmarks, Compared
As of 2026-10-19, Brent trades at $109.33 and WTI at $98.52 — a $10.81 Brent premium. The 1-year average spread is $5.39. Both are light, sweet crudes; the gap is about geography and logistics, not quality. Live prices: WTI · Brent.
Side by Side
| WTI | Brent | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | West Texas Intermediate | Brent (North Sea blend) |
| Exchange · ticker | NYMEX · CL | ICE · BZ |
| Delivery | Pipeline, Cushing, Oklahoma | Waterborne, North Sea loading |
| Prices | US domestic crude | ~2/3 of world seaborne crude |
| API gravity | ≈40° (lighter) | ≈38° |
| Sulfur | ≈0.24% (sweeter) | ≈0.40% |
| Typical premium | — | A few $/bbl above WTI |
The live Brent–WTI spread updates on the dashboard and prices page; annual histories: WTI · Brent.
Brent-WTI spread: Where It Stands
Daily closes through Oct 19, 2026| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | $10.81 $/bbl | +$2.36 on the day |
| Average, last 252 trading days | $5.39 | latest is above it by $5.42 |
| Highest in that window | $16.97 | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Lowest in that window | −$3.68 | Apr 7, 2026 |
| Percentile | 88% | higher than 88% of the past 252 closes |
| A year earlier | $3.49 | change +$7.32 |
The spread is Brent futures minus WTI futures, both front-month; a positive number means Brent is more expensive. Full-year averages back to 2007: WTI by year and Brent by year. Computed on the dates both legs have a close, from this site's two-year daily history (from Oct 21, 2024). Descriptive statistics, not a forecast.
Brent-WTI spread by Month, Last 12 Months
| Month | Average | High | Low | Month-end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 TO DATE | $10.99 | $12.91 | $7.95 | $10.81 |
| Sep 2026 | $6.57 | $13.21 | $2.91 | $13.11 |
| Aug 2026 | $5.62 | $7.33 | $3.43 | $4.73 |
| Jul 2026 | $5.29 | $8.50 | $2.99 | $5.45 |
| Jun 2026 | $2.83 | $3.87 | $1.79 | $3.42 |
| May 2026 | $5.58 | $8.02 | $3.44 | $4.69 |
| Apr 2026 | $4.40 | $11.86 | −$3.68 | $8.94 |
| Mar 2026 | $8.60 | $16.97 | $1.79 | $16.97 |
| Feb 2026 | $4.88 | $5.54 | $4.12 | $5.46 |
| Jan 2026 | $4.51 | $5.48 | $3.43 | $5.48 |
| Dec 2025 | $3.76 | $4.06 | $3.43 | $3.43 |
| Nov 2025 | $4.20 | $4.65 | $3.84 | $4.65 |
Calendar-month statistics of the daily values; the current month is partial. Live prices behind it: oil price charts.
Brent vs WTI FAQ
What is the Brent–WTI spread today?
As of the 2026-10-19 close, Brent trades at $109.33 and WTI at $98.52 — a spread of $10.81 per barrel (Brent premium). The spread has averaged $5.39 over the past year.
How wide has the Brent-WTI spread been over the past year?
Over the last 252 trading days Brent has averaged $5.39 a barrel above WTI, ranging from $-3.68 (Apr 7, 2026) to $16.97 (Mar 31, 2026). The premium was above $5 on 103 of those days and the latest reading of $10.81 is higher than 88% of the past year's closes.
Why is Brent more expensive than WTI?
Brent loads directly onto tankers in the North Sea and can sail to any market, so it prices global seaborne demand. WTI is landlocked at Cushing, Oklahoma and must pay pipeline tolls to reach export docks on the Gulf Coast. That transport cost — typically a few dollars — plus regional supply-demand differences keeps Brent above WTI most of the time.
Which one is "the real" oil price?
Both. Roughly two-thirds of the world's internationally traded crude prices off Brent, so global headlines often quote it; US pipelines, refiners and producers settle on WTI. US pump prices track Brent-linked coastal product markets more closely than most people assume.
Are Brent and WTI different qualities of oil?
Both are light, sweet crudes — easy to refine into gasoline and diesel. WTI is slightly lighter and sweeter (≈40° API, 0.24% sulfur) than Brent (≈38° API, 0.4% sulfur). The quality gap is minor; the price gap is mostly about geography and logistics, not chemistry.