WTI vs Brent spread
The price gap between West Texas Intermediate, the US crude benchmark at Cushing, and Brent, the international benchmark. WTI usually trades at a discount to Brent because it is landlocked and because US shale added light crude near the hub.
WTI crude trades at $79.20 and Brent at $81.62 as of July 13, 2026, a spread of -$2.42 per barrel.
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The spread is charted below over the daily history we hold. WTI usually sits at a discount to Brent, so the number is typically negative, and it widens when US crude is plentiful at Cushing or hard to move to the coast.
WTI minus Brent spread
June 2, 2026 to July 13, 2026
Daily WTI (DCOILWTICO) minus Brent (DCOILBRENTEU) spot price, in US dollars per barrel. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration via FRED.
Daily WTI (DCOILWTICO) minus Brent (DCOILBRENTEU) spot price, in US dollars per barrel. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration via FRED.
WTI vs Brent spread: common questions
- What is the WTI-Brent spread?
- It is the price of West Texas Intermediate crude minus the price of Brent crude, in dollars per barrel. WTI is the US benchmark priced at Cushing, Oklahoma, and Brent is the international benchmark priced in the North Sea. The spread is usually negative, meaning WTI trades at a discount to Brent.
- Why does the spread exist?
- Two main reasons. Transport: WTI is landlocked at Cushing and must move by pipeline to the coast to reach the world market, which adds cost. Quality and supply balance: the growth of US shale added light crude near Cushing, which tends to keep WTI at a discount to seaborne Brent.
- What does the spread signal?
- A wider WTI discount can make US crude more competitive to export and can reflect ample supply at Cushing or pipeline bottlenecks. A narrower spread points to tighter US supply relative to the global market. Traders watch it as a read on US barrels versus the rest of the world.
- How often is the spread updated?
- Both benchmarks are daily spot prices. This page reads the latest available WTI and Brent quotes and shows the spread with its as-of date.