Brent WTI Spread: Live Chart and History
The Brent WTI spread is the price of Brent crude minus the price of WTI crude, in dollars per barrel. It shows how much the international oil benchmark trades above the US one.
$7.49dollars per barrel (Brent minus WTI)
Brent minus WTI spread (USD per barrel)
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Calculated from daily closes of front-month futures since 30 Jul 2007.
Record high and low
| Highest | $27.88 | 14 Oct 2011 |
| Lowest | -$14.88 | 22 Sep 2008 |
| Today | $7.49 | 6 Nov 2026 |
Range of daily closes in our data.
Average by year
| Year | Average | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6.15 | 16.97 | -3.68 |
| 2025 | 3.36 | 4.91 | 1.25 |
| 2024 | 4.06 | 5.93 | 2.23 |
| 2023 | 4.60 | 7.00 | 1.59 |
| 2022 | 4.63 | 11.39 | -0.68 |
| 2021 | 2.85 | 4.63 | 0.61 |
| 2020 | 3.51 | 9.81 | -0.16 |
| 2019 | 7.12 | 10.99 | 3.53 |
| 2018 | 6.82 | 11.81 | 2.61 |
| 2017 | 3.87 | 7.05 | 1.58 |
| 2016 | 1.72 | 3.92 | -0.60 |
| 2015 | 4.74 | 12.82 | -1.00 |
| 2014 | 6.42 | 14.95 | 1.75 |
| 2013 | 10.74 | 23.18 | 0.02 |
| 2012 | 17.43 | 25.53 | 9.17 |
| 2011 | 15.82 | 27.88 | 3.29 |
| 2010 | 0.76 | 5.71 | -2.68 |
| 2009 | 0.69 | 10.06 | -2.37 |
| 2008 | -1.32 | 10.13 | -14.88 |
| 2007 | -1.94 | 1.21 | -4.87 |
What the Brent WTI spread shows
Brent is the benchmark for oil traded by sea, while WTI is priced at Cushing, Oklahoma, so the spread reflects transport, quality and local supply and demand. A reading of 4 means Brent is four dollars per barrel above WTI.
The spread widens when US crude is plentiful or export capacity is tight, and narrows when US exports pull WTI closer to world prices or when global supply is disrupted. It can also be affected by contract rolls.
Traders and refiners watch it because it shows whether it pays to export US crude or import foreign crude. It is descriptive context and not a trading signal.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Brent WTI spread calculated?
Brent front-month futures price minus WTI front-month futures price, in dollars per barrel. History uses daily closes; days with a non-positive WTI price are excluded.
Why is Brent more expensive than WTI?
Brent is a waterborne North Sea blend that can be shipped anywhere, while WTI is inland and depends on pipelines and US export capacity. Brent usually trades at a premium, but not always.
Which is the better oil benchmark?
Brent is used to price most international crude. WTI is the main US benchmark. See our WTI vs Brent guide for the differences.
Ratios are informational and are not trading signals. All ratios · Methodology · What the data shows about gold.