As of August 2025, the average annual price of Brent crude oil stood at 71.3 U.S. dollars per barrel. This is over nine U.S. dollars lower than the 2024 average. Brent is the world's leading price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. Crude oil is one of the most closely observed commodity prices as it influences costs across all stages of the production process and consequently alters the price of consumer goods as well. What determines crude oil benchmarks? In the past decade, crude oil prices have been especially volatile. Their inherent inelasticity regarding short-term changes in demand and supply means that oil prices are erratic by nature. However, since the 2009 financial crisis, many commercial developments have greatly contributed to price volatility, such as economic growth by BRIC countries like China and India, and the advent of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are examples of geopolitical events dictating prices. Light crude oils - Brent and WTI Brent Crude is considered a classification of sweet light crude oil and acts as a benchmark price for oil around the world. It is considered a sweet light crude oil due to its low sulfur content and low density and may be easily refined into gasoline. This oil originates in the North Sea and comprises several different oil blends, including Brent Blend and Ekofisk crude. Often, this crude oil is refined in Northwest Europe. Another sweet light oil often referenced alongside UK Brent is West Texas Intermediate (WTI). WTI oil prices amounted to 76.55 U.S. dollars per barrel in 2024.

On October 27, 2025, the Brent crude oil price stood at 65.14 U.S. dollars per barrel, compared to 61.31 U.S. dollars for WTI oil and 67.54 U.S. dollars for the OPEC basket. Oil prices rose slightly that week.Europe's Brent crude oil, the U.S. WTI crude oil, and OPEC's basket are three of the most important benchmarks used by traders as reference for global oil and gasoline prices. Lowest ever oil prices during coronavirus pandemic In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic resulted in crude oil prices hitting a major slump as oil demand drastically declined following lockdowns and travel restrictions. Initial outlooks and uncertainty surrounding the course of the pandemic brought about a disagreement between two of the largest oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, in early March. Bilateral talks between global oil producers ended in agreement on April 13th, with promises to cut petroleum output and hopes rising that these might help stabilize the oil price in the coming weeks. However, with storage facilities and oil tankers quickly filling up, fears grew over where to store excess oil, leading to benchmark prices seeing record negative prices between April 20 and April 22, 2020. How crude oil prices are determined As with most commodities, crude oil prices are impacted by supply and demand, as well as inventories and market sentiment. However, as oil is most often traded in future contracts (where a contract is agreed upon while product delivery will follow in the next two to three months), market speculation is one of the principal determinants for oil prices. Traders make conclusions on how production output and consumer demand will likely develop over the coming months, leaving room for uncertainty. Spot prices differ from futures in so far as they reflect the current market price of a commodity.

Crude Oil fell to 59.17 USD/Bbl on December 2, 2025, down 0.25% from the previous day. Over the past month, Crude Oil's price has fallen 3.08%, and is down 15.40% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Crude Oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

In August 2025, the average price of one barrel of Brent crude oil was 67.87 U.S. dollars. This was a decrease from the previous month and 12 U.S. dollars below July 2024 prices. Brent terminology and most common uses Brent is the world's leading price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. It is used to price two thirds of the internationally traded crude oil supplies and is also the most significant crude oil benchmark for Europe. Brent crude originates in the North Sea and includes oils from Brent and Forties Oil Field in the United Kingdom, and from the Oseborg and Ekofisk oil fields, both oil reserves in Norway. Other names for Brent are Brent Blend, London Brent and Brent petroleum. The name Brent comes from the Brent oil field, located north-east of the Shetland Islands, and thus part of the United Kingdom. Because the Brent oil field already passed its production peak, today the benchmark Brent includes oil from the other three major oil fields. Brent, next to West Texas Intermediate (WTI), is one of the lightest crude oils. With a low content of sulfur, it is ranged among the so-called sweet crude oils. Most of the Brent crude oil is refined into gasoline and middle distillates in Northwest Europe. Benchmark oil prices Other crucial benchmarks for crude oil prices are the already mentioned U.S.- WTI and Dubai Crude (Fateh). They are indispensable for referencing the many types and grades of oil on the global market. In the past 20 years, the annual price for one barrel of Brent crude oil saw a net increase. For example, the average price per barrel stood at 80.53 U.S. dollars in 2024.

The 2025 annual OPEC basket price stood at ***** U.S. dollars per barrel as of August. This would be lower than the 2024 average, which amounted to ***** U.S. dollars. The abbreviation OPEC stands for Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and includes Algeria, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates. The aim of the OPEC is to coordinate the oil policies of its member states. It was founded in 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq. The OPEC Reference Basket The OPEC crude oil price is defined by the price of the so-called OPEC (Reference) basket. This basket is an average of prices of the various petroleum blends that are produced by the OPEC members. Some of these oil blends are, for example: Saharan Blend from Algeria, Basra Light from Iraq, Arab Light from Saudi Arabia, BCF 17 from Venezuela, et cetera. By increasing and decreasing its oil production, OPEC tries to keep the price between a given maxima and minima. Benchmark crude oil The OPEC basket is one of the most important benchmarks for crude oil prices worldwide. Other significant benchmarks are UK Brent, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), and Dubai Crude (Fateh). Because there are many types and grades of oil, such benchmarks are indispensable for referencing them on the global oil market. The 2025 fall in prices was the result of weakened demand outlooks exacerbated by extensive U.S. trade tariffs.

Natural gas rose to 4.94 USD/MMBtu on December 3, 2025, up 2.04% from the previous day. Over the past month, Natural gas's price has risen 13.71%, and is up 62.29% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Natural gas - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

The 2025 preliminary average annual price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil reached 67.83 U.S. dollars per barrel as of August. This would be nine U.S. dollars below the 2024 average and the lowest annual average since 2021. WTI and other benchmarks WTI is a grade of crude oil also known as “Texas light sweet.” It is measured to have an API gravity of around 39.6 and specific gravity of about 0.83, which is considered “light” relative to other crude oils. This oil also contains roughly 0.24 percent sulfur, and is therefore named “sweet.” Crude oils are some of the most closely observed commodity prices in the world. WTI is the underlying commodity of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s oil futures contracts. The price of other crude oils, such as UK Brent crude oil, the OPEC crude oil basket, and Dubai Fateh oil, can be compared to that of WTI crude oil. Since 1976, the price of WTI crude oil has increased notably, rising from just 12.23 U.S. dollars per barrel in 1976 to a peak of 99.06 dollars per barrel in 2008. Geopolitical conflicts and their impact on oil prices The price of oil is controlled in part by limiting oil production. Prior to 1971, the Texas Railroad Commission controlled the price of oil by setting limits on production of U.S. oil. In 1971, the Texas Railroad Commission ceased limiting production, but OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries with member states Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela among others, continued to do so. In 1972, due to geopolitical conflict, OPEC set an oil embargo and cut oil production, causing prices to quadruple by 1974. Oil prices rose again in 1979 and 1980 due to the Iranian revolution, and doubled between 1978 and 1981 as the Iran-Iraq War prevented oil production. A number of geopolitical conflicts and periods of increased production and consumption have influenced the price of oil since then.

Brent fell to 63.05 USD/Bbl on December 2, 2025, down 0.19% from the previous day. Over the past month, Brent's price has fallen 2.84%, and is down 14.36% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Brent crude oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

According to a 2025 survey, oil producers operating in the Permian region needed WTI oil prices to amount to a minimum of ** U.S. dollars per barrel in order to profitably drill a new well. This compared to a minimum breakeven price of ** U.S. dollars per barrel for existing wells. The monthly average WTI oil price ranged between ** and ** U.S. dollars per barrel around the time of the survey. Most productive oil basins Operators in shale basins have the lowest average breakeven prices for new wells. However, when it comes to existing wells, operators in the Permian (Delaware) basin can afford even lower oil prices. The Permian basin, located in Texas and New Mexico, accounts for the greatest U.S. oil production output of any region. In 2024, production in the Permian reached nearly *********** barrels per day - more than **** times the amount extracted from the neighboring Eagle Ford rock formation. Texas is leading oil producing state With both regions located in Texas, it is not surprising that this is also the leading crude oil producing U.S. state. Nearly two billion barrels worth of crude oil were extracted in Texas per year, far more than any other state. Texas is home to a total of five major oil and gas formations.

On April 20th, 2020, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil slumped into negative for the first time in history, falling to negative 37.63 U.S. dollars per barrel. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on the global oil and gas industry. Declining consumer demand and high levels of production output are threatening to exceed oil storage capacities, which resulted in the lowest ever oil prices noted between April 20th and April 22nd.

For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Fact and Figures page.

Urals Oil fell to 54.22 USD/Bbl on December 1, 2025, down 0.37% from the previous day. Over the past month, Urals Oil's price has fallen 7.52%, and is down 17.95% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Urals Crude.

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The bio-based platform chemicals market share is expected to increase by USD 2.12 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market’s growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 10.78%.

This bio-based platform chemicals market research report provides valuable insights on the post COVID-19 impact on the market, which will help companies evaluate their business approaches. Furthermore, this report extensively covers bio-based platform chemicals market segmentation by chemical type (bio-1 4 diacids, bio-glycerol, bio-glutamic acid, bio-3-HPA, and bio-itaconic acid) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America). The bio-based platform chemicals market report also offers information on several market vendors, including BASF SE, Braskem SA, DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products Company LLC, Evonik Industries AG, IP Group Plc, Koninklijke DSM NV, LyondellBasell Industries NV, Merck KGaA, Parchem fine & specialty chemicals Inc., and PTT Global Chemical Public Co. Ltd. among others.

What will the Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market Size be During the Forecast Period?

Download Report Sample to Unlock the Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market Size for the Forecast Period and Other Important Statistics

Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market: Key Drivers, Trends, and Challenges

The volatility in crude oil prices is notably driving the bio-based platform chemicals market growth, although factors such as high production cost may impede the market growth. Our research analysts have studied the historical data and deduced the key market drivers and the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the bio-based platform chemicals industry. The holistic analysis of the drivers will help in deducing end goals and refining marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge.

Key Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market Driver

Volatility in crude oil prices is one of the major drivers of the bio-based platform chemicals market growth. The use of crude oil as a carbon feedstock for producing chemicals has dominated the industry. The oil and gas industry is one of the major suppliers of raw materials to the global platform chemicals market. The fluctuations in the crude oil prices affect the prices of the raw materials considerably, thereby affecting the costs of platform chemicals. The price of Brent crude oil per barrel decreased in the subsequent years, by nearly 60% in 2016 compared to 2012. In 2018, the price of Brent crude oil increased by almost 62% compared to 2016, but the price again decreased by 40% in 2020. The volatile prices of raw materials will directly affect the revenue and profit margins of the manufacturers. Vendors are compelled to seek alternative solutions to maintain their profit margins, thereby reducing the use of petroleum-derived feedstock chemicals. In addition, the continuous supply of raw materials could be negatively affected by adverse weather conditions, national emergencies, natural disasters, supply shortages, and other events. The price fluctuations and non-availability of raw materials can affect the cost of the products and operations of the vendors. Bio-based platform chemicals have emerged as an alternative to petroleum-based chemicals owing to the comparatively stable costs.

Key Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market Trend

An increase in R&D activities is one of the major trends in the bio-based platform chemicals market growth. Growing R&D expenditure is a major trend that is being witnessed in the global bio-based platform chemicals market in recent years. There has been a significant increase in R&D activities to increase the application areas of bio-based platform chemicals in various industries, such as biofuels and resins, by many major vendors in recent years. Globally, major bio-based platform chemicals players have increased their R&D spending to reduce the manufacturing cost of bio-based platform chemicals. Furthermore, the manufacturers have been heavily emphasizing new product innovations and developments to maintain a competitive edge and gain shares in the market. In 2016, an International Bioeconomy Forum (IBF) aimed at improving the orientation of research in Europe and fostering multilateral cooperation was formed. This forum helps in providing an informal multilateral network for countries that are engaged in the development of a bio-based economy.

Key Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market Challenge

High production cost is one of the major challenges to the bio-based platform chemicals market growth. The US has set a goal to produce 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels by 2022. To achieve the target, the gap between research and commercial, large-scale production of advanced biofuels must be bridged. Building a bio-refinery plant costs more than $100 million, and it takes 3-4 years to complete the construction. Achieving the national energy and climate goals will require a large, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable

Amplify Energy has been written three times before and the previous write-ups and related comments give a good overview of the history of the Company and the quality of its asset base. DO EM GO’s write up in October 2020 was particularly well timed and the stock is up over 8X since that time, however the enterprise value is only 20% higher. Ray Palmer wrote it up in April of 2022 and the stock is up 12% since then but the enterprise value is 20% lower. The muted change in enterprise value has occurred as the Company has paid down over $100MM of debt while extending its reserve to production ratio. I believe the stock is cheaper and more derisked now than it has ever been (less than 1X debt/EBITDA) and on the cusp of major catalysts over the next 3-6 months that will uncover the tremendous value of Amplify’s assets. This write-up will focus specifically on two items which we believe haven’t been fully flushed out and create a path to significant cash flow inflection and share price gains which I expect to be above and beyond what has been discussed so far: 1) clarity on the enormous value of Beta and 2) specific actions planned by management to realize the massive undervaluation of its asset base. COMPANY OVERVIEW Amplify’s assets are mature properties that are generally past the higher decline stages typically characterized by newer production. Its production decline rate is only ~6% per year for the next decade, translating to a less capital-intensive business relative to most E&P companies, especially those in the unconventional/shale business that can have corporate decline rates of 25%-35%+. Amplify is more resilient against commodity price volatility and provides for higher FCF. This FCF is highly predictable with 85%-90% hedged for natural gas until year end 2025 and 45%-50% in 2026. The oil hedge position in 70-75% for 2024, 45%-50% in 2025 and 10-15% in 2026. A screenshot of a map Description automatically generated As the slide below shows, the Company is quite cheap based on its current proved, producing assets even with fairly draconian long term commodity price assumptions. The PV 10 analysis is very sensitive to long term strip prices, which for oil prices is currently in the mid $60s, however, I am of the opinion that long term prices will trend higher not lower in the long term. This undervaluation, however, is even more severe when one considers that the Beta PV10 is dinged for decommissioning liabilities that may be delayed by decades as discussed later. Based on a FCF valuation, the Company has guided to $20-$40 million of FCF in 2024 after $33-$40 million of growth expenditures. FCF yield to equity at midpoint is 12% with fully loaded capex and 27%, excluding Beta related growth capex. Amplify is one of the longest reserve lives and highest free cash flow yielding energy Company in my universe based on the just the existing asset base. A screenshot of a screen Description automatically generated THE BETA OPPORTUNITY The following slide gives an overview of the Beta asset: A map of oil and gas waters Description automatically generated Beta is a world-class oilfield initially discovered and developed by Shell in the 1980’s drilling low angle wells through the massive, highly permeable, stacked sandstones. The last significant drilling program in the asset consisted of 7 wells drilled by Amplify’s predecessor company. Three of these wells were drilled horizontally targeting the D-Sand and delivered 1st year average production of approximately 350 gross Bopd per well. The current development plan is designed to sidetrack out of existing, shut-in wells and horizontally target the D-Sand, utilizing the latest in rotary steerable and mapping well drilling technology to optimally place wells in areas with the highest remaining oil saturation. The Beta field has the potential to be a large growth asset for decades as there are still significant resources remaining to be recovered. The original oil in place estimates of the field range from 600 million to 1 billion barrels of oil and, with only approximately 100 million barrels recovered to date, the implied recovery factor is only between 11 to 16%. There are many analogue fields in the southern California basin with very similar reservoir properties that have recovered between 30 to 40% of the original oil in place. Implication being that there is 70 million to 260 million barrels of recoverable oil in place with the midpoint of estimates being 165 million barrels. These analogous fields generally have much tighter well spacing compared to the Beta field, which presents the opportunity for significant infill drilling. The key for faster drilling is to get your website indexed instantly by Google. BETA ECONOMICS AND VALUE The Company plans to increase production from Beta starting this year and 66% of its $50-$60 million 2024 capex budget is allocated to the Beta development and one time Beta facility upgrade. The remainder of the budget,...

Propane rose to 0.70 USD/Gal on December 1, 2025, up 2.86% from the previous day. Over the past month, Propane's price has risen 6.57%, but it is still 13.17% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Propane - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.