Crude oil is a liquid in the Earth, and it is made of hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and tiny amounts of metal. There are many types of crude produced around the world, and the quality of each is reflected in the value. One of its quality characteristics is the sulfur content, which can be defined as sweet or sour, and density ranges from heavy to light. If crudes are light and sweet, they are more expensive compared to energy products such as diesel and gasoline. There is a high demand for these grades since they can be processed with refineries requiring less energy.
Many types of crude oil differ in their consistency and density, depending on how and where it is extracted. There are over 160 types of crude oil traded on the market, but Brent Crude and WTI serve the most as the oil benchmarks in the global markets. The WTI oil is taken from wells in the United States and sent to Oklahoma by pipeline. It is mostly referred to as US crude, and it has expensive shipping costs when there is demand around the world. Both oils are very sweet and light, making them ideal for gasoline, diesel and other end products. Brent Crude is used to price two-thirds of the world's traded crude oil supplies, making it one of the most important oil benchmarks.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a cartel of 14 major oil-producing nations seeking to manage the supply of the commodity to control its prices. When there is a meeting for whether to boost or cut production, it can impact current and future prices directly, and oil watchers globally closely follow the announcements. Another important factor affecting the prices is the major crude reports from the US inventory number as higher inventories will mean less demand from the international markets and will pressure the prices lower. Political factors or wars in oil-producing nations are a major issue in the oil markets, and natural disasters such as hurricanes that affect major oil infrastructures.
On February 14, 2022, the OPEC basket stood at $95.16 (USD) per barrel, compared to $96.48 (USD) for Brent oil and $95.46 (USD) for WTI oil. Europe's Brent crude oil, the U.S. WTI crude oil, and OPEC's reference basket are three of the most important benchmarks traders use as references for oil and gasoline prices. Oil prices have been trading above $90 (USD) due to geopolitical concerns and greater demand outlooks.
